A Demon Called Death
by CrazedAnimeAddict
Summary: She was Kazekage's slave and tool but now that he's gone she belongs to Gaara. She hoped that the red head would grant her freedom, but instead, he made her enter the Chuunin Exams with him and his siblings, and, being his slave, she is unable to refuse.
1. Chuunin Exams and Vemon Words

_**Sharne Kiele, Not so Much Loved Subordanate**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, just the plot, and my characters that come out from the insanity of my mind. Thank you. :)

If there are any spelling or grammar errors that I made... please inform me.

Name: Sharne Kiele

Age: 13

Orgin: Sunakagure

Staus: Shinobi

Ninja Ranking: Genin

Appearance: She wears the traditional ninja footwear and fishnet from her thigh to her wrists, though a little past. She has silky black hair with a tint of red when reflected upon by light, and bright emerald green eyes. Overtop of her fishnet are bandages on her right forearm, a black sash type thing across her chest, though made of thin cloth. She wears a dark crimson skirt like clothing, ending halfway between her knees and her ankles. (A/N think Ino, although not purple.) Her top, over the fishnet, is a crimson sleeve less with black silk embroidery along the edge. Her Sand hitaiate is tied underneath her skirt of her thigh, where the fishnet ends. As well, she has a thick wristband. On itis engraved, in kanji,"prisoner of the sand".And no, she isn't gothic.

Also...

These idicate regular dialouge.

These indicate thoughts.

These are a sign that Kiele's demon sealed inside her, like Naruto and Gaara, is speaking to Kiele.

Author notes are **_( A/N blah blah, blahblahblah.)_**

FYI... the demon is Takai. Takai means "death". Suitable name for a demon, eh? This story also begins right before the Third Exam Preliminaries, so don't be lost.

"First off, congradulations on passing the Second Exam."

She tried to focus on the Hokage, but she can feel multiple sets of eyes boring into her.

She couldn't blame them, though. After all, she **_did_** make a very... **_memorable_**... first impression during the Second Exam.

She looked over to see Zaku. Both of his arms appear to be rendered completely useless, as they are in a sling.She quickly avertedher gaze to the front, only to come face to face with Temari. Her wide turquoise orbs held worry and concern. "Something up?" She inquires softly. Kiele shifted her gaze towards Kankurou, who is already looking at her. He smirks at her, and she isn't sure whether or not to smile back, so she didn't. Kiele glances -er- more like, **glares** over at Gaara. He, too, has his intense teal, black rimmed eyes fixed upon her. She curses the sand siblings beneath her breath, then turns back to the front.

"...You're still angry with Gaara, Kankurou and me, aren't you, Kiele?" Temari inquires softly, attempting to put two and two together.

"Hn," She replies, snapping her attention anywhere but the sand siblings. She had began to trust Temari a little bit, but she wasn't about to even try to bring herself to say anything, especially with the two boys so close to her. Muttering another string of colorful words beneath her breath directed mainly towards Gaara, she shook her head. Temari stares for a moment. By the look in her eyes,Kiele knew thatTemari wasn't dull enough to be tricked like Kiele had vainly hoped. Temari places a hand on Kiele's right shoulder.

"I hope you can tell me... You'll need your mind clear for what's to come... the Third and final Chuunin exam."

Kiele nodded solemnly.

"We will now have an explaination of the the Third Exam from Hokage-sama," The proctor of the Second Exam, Anko, announced.

"Listen up!"

Temari removed her hand from Kiele's shoulder, then turned back around to face the Hokage.

"They're all yours, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage nods, and steps forward towards the genin.

"The Third Exam will soon begin, but before the explanation, there's one thing I want to make clear of all of you."

He pauses.

"It's about the true purpose of this exam, and about why we do a joint exam with the allied nations."

"_ "To maintain good relations with the allied nations_" and _"hieghten the level of the ninja..."_ Do not let those reasons decieve you. This "exam", so to speak, is..."

**_'So to speak?'_** Kiele mused.

The Hokage continued.

"The epitome of a war between the allied nations."

"What d'you mean, old man?" Kankurou asks quietly.

This shocked Kiele.

Usually, Kankurou was outspoken and inconsiderate. Not this strange and unfamiliar calm, quiet, cautious, and soft spoken boy before her now.

The Hokage acknowledges his question by removing the pipe from his mouth.

"If we go back through history, the allied nations right now were anything but at peace. Nieghboring nations fought, and to avoid wasting military power those countries decided to find a place to fight. This is the orgin of the Chuunin Selection Exam."

"Why do we have to do that?" A blonde boy, clarified to Kiele earlier as Naruto demands. He struck her as... an idiot.  
"Aren't we doing this to select Chuunins?"

"Yes, this Exam does examine those who are worthy of the Chuunin title," The Hokage replies.

"But, on the other hand, it's also a place where ninja fight and carry their country's dignity."

"So, that means that lords from the various countries here may come to watch the Third Exam?" Kiele inquired, not realizing at first that she had just said this aloud.

"That is correct," The Hokage answers her.

**_'That must mean that the Third Exam is either a little show-and-tell jutsu competition, or fist-to-fist combat, '_** She concluded to herself.

"Also, at the same time, countries are able to show how thier village has grown and possess exellent military power to the adjacent countries. In other words, they can put foreign pressure on one another."

"So why do we have to fight with the risk of losing our lives?" A males' voice pipes up. Kiele turned sildelong to see the boy that she had savedfrom Gaara's sand wrathin the Second Exam, the boy with the whimpering dog. Kiba.

**_Kiele stood there, watching Gaara's sand devour its latest victim, some stupid, arrogant rain ninja. Soon his umbrella technique had just failed, the baka, and now he was paying the price of standing in Gaara's way. Kiele had learned the hard way not to defy Gaara, as her left hand subconsiously reached up and graspped her right sholder. The place where Gaara and his sand had exacted thier revenge on her for mouthing off. She refused to speak to the boy afterwards._**

_**Gaara tossed her an umbrella, which she caught ahd quickly opened above her head. **_

_**"Sabaku Soso."**_

**_Blood rained down on the sand siblings and thier fourth "_**honored**_" guest._**

This is the price paid for defiance,_**)The demon Takai hissed in her head. A little reminder from her inner demon to make sure she still knew which being was in charge. Kiele simply ignored the beast as she watched Gaara preform Sabaku Kyu on the first rain victims' companions, and then Sabaku Soso.**_

_**"What a monster...!" A male's voice resounded from the bushes. Kiele, as curiousity will surely kill the cat, craned her neck to get a good look at the boy. In fact, two boys and an innocent enough looking girl hid in the bushes.**_

"If I had a choice,**_" Kiele thought,"_**I'd hide from the heartless boy too."

_**"What luck!" Kankurou exclaimed, picking up the rain ninja's scroll. "A heaven scroll!"**_

_**Gaara's eyebrows furrowed, and Kiele held her breath. She'd seen that look before. He'd looked at her like that once before.**_

_**Apparently, both Kankurou and Temari had caught on as well.**_

_**"C'mon, Gaara, we've got both scrolls, that's enough for now." Kankurou insisted.**_

_**"It's not enough..." Gaara hissed in an icily tone. Sand swirled in his hand, and Temari stepped forward.**_

_**"Please stop Gaara? Do it for your big sister?" **_

_**"This test may be easy for you, but it's dagerous for Temari and me. Gaara, listen to older brother-" Kankurou began.**_

_**"It's too bad," Gaara interrupts, "that I don't think of you as my big brother."**_

_**"If you get in my way... I'll kill you." The sand thickens, andone can see the fear embeaded on Kiele's face, as he aimed his hand at her. **_

_**No... it wasn't at her, but at the kids. The leaf genin behind her.**_

_**"Gaara, you've had your fill of bloodlust contented- for the moment. Just stop, at least until the next exam."**_

_**It pained her, every word she spoke to him. She had reserved herself from him for almost a month now, and it took every ounce of her will in order to refrain from speaking to him with a venomous tone.**_

_**Gaara's cyan eyes locked with her emerald orbs, and Gaara dropped his hand.**_

_**Kiele was in complete shock that he listened to her.**_

_**"Thank you," She muttered, Gaara already starting ahead of her. Temari mouthed a silent "thanks a ton" to her, and Kankurou sneered at Gaara's back.**_

_**She turned to the horrified leaf genin and attemped at a smile. Failing miserably, as her jaw felt strange, moving in such an unfamiliar guesture, she gave up. **_

_**"You three owe me big time," Kiele spoke, giving up on her trying to smile.**_

_**"Let's start with your names, shall we?"**_

_**One stared up at her dumbstruck, and the dog tucked in his jacket whimpered.**_

_**He mouthed something inaudiable.**_

_**"Eh?" She asked, cupping her hand around her ear.**_

_**"Speak up. I'm not the one to be afraid of."**_

_**"Kiba," He repeated.**_

_**"Okay... and you two."**_

_**The girl swallowed, then pushed her index fingers together shyly.**_

_**"I am Hyuuga Hinata, and this is Aburame Shino..."**_

_**Kiele nodded, then realized how far ahead the sand shinobi really were.**_

_**"Well, I'll catch you three later. Take care, and avoid any stray sand now, m'kay?" Kiele called back over her shoulder, taking off at a run.**_

"A country's power is the village's power. The village's power is the ninja's power." The Hokage replies, referring to Kiba's question.

"And a ninja's true power is only born in a life-or-death battle. This Exam is also to display the power of one's country. Since this is an exam where you fight with your life on the line, it has meaning. And your predeccors have fought and dreamed of being in the Chuunin Exam because of it."

"But, then why do you say that this is to promote good relations?" A girl with black hair cropped up on either side of her head in buns asked. She wore a pink oriental outfit, and her chocolate brown eyes were warm. She looked as if she posed little threat, the way that she looked.

This was most likely exactly what she wanted. To be underestimated. To be taken lightly. So that people would mock her, and then she could strike at the precise timing. But anyone that was going to fall for that stunt was not worthy even of the title "shinobi".

The Hokage grimaced.

"I told you at the beginning not to get confused with that."

"The custom of showing one's life's worthiness and fighting to maintain balance... that is the good relation in the world of the shinobi."

**_"Maybe she's not as bright as I thought she was hiding behind the innocent face,"_** Kiele smirked to herself.

"This is a life-or-death battle for you and your village's dignity."

**_"Dignity..." _**Kiele repeated in her mind. **_"Hmm... don't think that I've got any of that left... however... a battle to the death _**does **_sound quite..._** enticing

"I don't care," Came Gaara's cold voice from ahead of her. Even from the back of his head, she could still invision Gaara's harsh glare.

"I can handle anything you throw at me, just give me the details of this life-or-death exam."

**_"Hasty..."_** Kiele mused.

The Hokage nodded.

"I will now begin the explaination of the Third Exam, but..."

**_"But...?"_** Kiele asked mentally, becoming impatient. She hadn't fought anyone since Gaara had inflicted the wound on her shoulder. Gaara had taken away all of her fun lately. Any fights she could have enjoyed, any shinobi that could have been **_her _**prey...

Suddenly, a man in a green Konohagakure uniform fell from what appeared to be the ceiling. Kiele's eyes curiously scanned the ceiling for any entrances.

He bowed respectively in front of the Hokage.

"Excuse me, Hokage-sama," He began in a sickly tone.

"I, Gekkou Hayate, proctor, will explain."

"Please do," Hokage replied.

The man turned his head towards the genin.

"Everyone, before we begin the Third Exam..."

He paused to cough. Once. Twice... and a half.

"...There's something I want you all to do..."

Cough.

Sputter.

Gag.

**_(This protor's life will soon be at its end,) _**Takai hissed from within Kiele.

_**(So much misery...is beautiful...)**_

_**  
**_


	2. Proctor's Favor and Kiele's Past

_**Proctor's Favor and Kiele's Past**_

Firstly, I would like to thank **_StormofSilver_** for the review. She's the **only** one that reviewed, of fifty people! **_THANK YOU! _**:D ...But, I've decided to come out with the second in the series. Also, Kiele, how I pronounce it, is key-lee. Some may mistake it for being pronounced as Kaylee, and that doesn't sound very ninja-like... ' Enjoy.

**_Disclaimer:_** I fail to own Naruto, only my plot and my characters.

The strange sickly man now hand all of the genin's attentions.

Kiele's head shot up.

"A favor!" She whispered, mostly to herself.

Hayate coughed, before replying, "A preliminary round, to decide who gets to participate in the main event."

"Preliminary!" A boy with his black hair tied back raged.

"What do you mean?"

"Sensei... I don't understand this preliminary, but why isn't everyone allowed to participate in the Third Exam automatically?" Kiele questioned.

"Because...the first and second exams may have been too easy this year," Hayate replied, stressing the word because. It was probably because he coughed during his sentence.

"We have too many people remaining, and according to the Chuunin Exam rules, we must hold a series of preliminary rounds and reduce the number of participants remaining for the Third Exam. As Hokage-sama made clear earlier, there will be important guests attending the Third Exam, and we can't afford to waste their time. Without preliminaries being held, the fights could take longer than the time we have permits."

Hayate coughed, then continued.

"So... anyone of you who aren't feeling up to it... and don't think you're in top physical condition..." He coughed numerous more times.

**_"Talk about not being in top physical condition,"_** Kiele mused gleefully.

She hadn't been able to fight for a long time, and the Third Exam was just the remedy for her "illness." Little could bring her spirits down at a time like this.

"Sorry about that..." Hayate apologized quietly.

"Those who feeling like quitting, please step forward now. We don't have any time to waste, and follow immeadiately after this explanation, we'll hold the preliminaries."

"What?" Kiba exclaimed.

"Right now!"

"But, we just barely made it through the Second Exam," Whinned a blonde girl in a purple uniform.

**_"Oh well! As if I'd sulk! I wouldn't have it any other way!" _**Kiele mentally cheered, smirking evilly and pumping the air with her fist.

She could easily smile dementedly, but smiling "kindly"... just **_wasn't_** her thing.

"Oh, and before I forget... battles will be one on one individual combat. No more team basis. Team mates won't pay the price if one of you decide to fall back now."

Some time passed, before a "Leaf" ninja raised his hand.

"All right. You got me, I'm out," Came the male's voice.

Kiele turned to look at the shinobi, and saw Kabuto.

**_"Kabuto... what's he playing at?"_** She pondered suspiciously.

"Uhhh... Yakushi Kabuto, right?" Hayate asked, flipping a few pages on the clipboard in his hands.

"Alright, you can go."

The Naruto kid looked shocked and disbeliving.

"But... but Kabuto!"

"Sorry, Naruto-kun... I'm all worn out now. To tell the truth, ever since that incedent with the Sound village, I have'nt had any hearing at all in my left ear. And now, to put my life on the line? I just can't do it."

Naruto looked hurt and betrayed, staring after Kabuto as he left.

Kiele glared at his back.

**_"Don't think for a moment that I don't know what you're up to. I can see your true colors..._** traitor**_."_**

Hayate coughed, once again gaining the attention of all the genin.

"Well, this cause a bit of a problem," He stated blankly.

"Since that boy quit, we now have twenty-one entrants. We'll go through the preliminaries as usual, then after everyone but the last ninja has fought, the remaining ninja will fight against one of the others who qualified. The winners will advance to the Third Exam. There... aren't any rules, really. The fight continues, until one is either knocked unconsious, admits deafeat, or is killed."

**_"Gaara will most likely kill the one unfortunate enough to face against him,"_** Kiele determined.

"To avoid death, we ask you to admit defeat in a hopeless case. Of course, as proctor, I'm given some leway in determining matches, so if a fight gets out of hand, I'll occasionally step in to prevent as many causulties as possible."

Anko spoke into the headset propped on her head, and a panel opened. A screen was behind it.

"Names will be chosen at random. You could fight someone of your village, or even of your own team."

Kiele clentched her fists and stared up at the panel, picturing in her mind her worst case senario.

_**'Gaara**_

_**vs.**_

_**Sharne Kiele'**_

Her head throbbed, and she reached up to touch her temple. Then again, this match-up could be one of the best that she could hope for, and, in the same time, it could kill her.

"Now, let the preliminaries begin," Hayate continued, pointing towards the screen. The screen lit up, and names flashed rapidly above and below the vs. icon. Everyone's attention snapped to the board. Kieles hand shook. If everyone else knew of Gaara's cruel strength, they'd be shaking, too.

"It's alright, Temari whispered from in front of Kiele.

"The chances of you fighting Gaara are slim, and even if you do, he'll take it easier on you than he would anyone else."

Kiele nodded.

**_"Do you really know so little Temari?"_** Kiele questioned silently.**_ "The first chance Gaara gets... he will_** kill **_me."_**

Kiele closed her eyes shut tightly, as the bleeping noise of the board continued.

Finally, the sound was silenced, and she kept her eyes closed.

"It's not you're turn," Temari coaxed softly.

Kiele's eyes slowly opened, and two names were in fact displayed, but Temari was right. It wasn't her own name displayed... but it wasn't Gaara's either.

**_"Akadou Yoroi vs Uchiha Sasuke,"_** Kiele repeated in her mind.

"These two entrants, please come to the front," Hayate stated dully.

"The first round is between Akadou Yoroi and Uchiha Sasuke."

Two boys made their way to the front. One was one of Orochimaru's minions, as Kiele recgonized, and the other was a raven haired boy with his hand clamped over his shoulder.

Hayate coughed, then waved to the stairs.

"Everyone else, plaese move to the upper level to watch."

Kiele set off towards the left staricase, behind the Sound ninja , and the sand siblings behind her.

When she got tho the upper level, she got down onto one knee, her fist on the floor.

"Gaara-sama..." She murmured.

Gaara stood momentarilay in front of her, then walked around her. Kiele stood up, then leaned against the railing of the second level.

"So, this should be fun. I can't wait to see the loser I have fight my turn."

Kiele looked to find the speaker, and Kankurou's grinning expression came up beside of her, resting his hand on the rail.

"I'll bet that you're exciting too, aren't you Kiele?"

Kiele didn't answer, just continued to watch the two ninja below her face another.

"Listen, if you fight Gaara... just give up immeadiately. It isn't worth the sweat and blood that you'll shed if you face against him," Kankurou whispered.

"If you think that I was dragged here, just to give up as soon as I see my combatant's face..." Kiele began slowly.

"Then you're dead wrong, Kankurou."

Kankurou's expression twisted into one of pure shock.

"I don't intend to give up to anyone. Not to you, not to Temari..." Kiele turned around, to come face to face with Gaara, who stood behind her.

"And especially... not to you."

Gaara's face remained emotionless as his cyan eyes bored into Kiele's green ones.

"Good. That is the way of the shinobi, Kiele," Temari smiled.

Kiele heard a yelp of pain from the Sasuke kid and Yoroi lunged on him, draining his chakra.

She turned back around and stared down at the stage, but did anything but process what was going on around her as she fell nito the depths of her memories.

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**_"You have dishonored Sunagakure, and all of its sand shinobi."_**

_**"No... please... don't take our lives!"**_

_**The Kazekage reufsed to consider their plead, until he saw a small, innocent enough looking girl hiding of the steps in the background.**_

_**He stepped into thier home to get a better look at the child.**_

_**She was crying softly, and at the sight of the Kazekage, she quickly brought her knees up to her chest and bowed her head, sobbing into her knees.**_

_**"Is the child yours?" He asked the two Kirigakure assassins. They had been spies of Sunagakure sent to the Village Hidden in the Mist, only to betray Sunagakure and sell out all of the village's military information to the Mizukage.**_

_**"Y-yes, she is," The man of the couple quickly replied.**_

_**"Do not betray me again!" The Kazekage barked.**_

_**"Y-y-yes, K-Kazekage-sama..." The wife answered this time.**_

_**The Kazekge's expression softened.**_

_**"This time, I will spare your lives..." The couple sighed in relief, thier breaths exhaled.**_

_**"But..." The couples' breaths were caught in their chest again.**_

_**"...But at the price of your daughter's."**_

_**The couple turned to face thier daughter, and pretended to be hurt, when thier faces actually twisted into an insane smile.**_

_**"No... not our daughter! She's our only child, Kazekage!" The male pretended to weep, his back still to the Kazekage.**_

_**The woman quickly wiped the smile from her complextion and replaced it with one of sheer terror as she threw herself at the Kazekage's feet.**_

_**"Please!" She cried.**_

**_"Show compassion! She's our only child, and we _**love **_her dearly!"_**

_**The Kazekage ignored thier pleads, eing tricked by the couple's deception.**_

_**"It is either your lives, or your daughter's. Choose!" He boomed.**_

_**The woman picked herself up, then faced her husband.**_

_**"Aradon... what should we do?"**_

_**The couple's smirks returned to their faces. In thier minds, there was no debate.**_

_**"I guess... we... we still have another child..."**_

_**They also had no intentions of having any more children.**_

_**"Yes... of course... Kiele, please forgive us..." **_

_**The man moved forward and scooped the whimpering girl in his arms, then turned to the Kazekage.**_

_**"So, you chose to lie your only child's in my hand over your own..." Kazekage mused aloud.**_

_**The man nodded, the shoved the child roughly into the arms of the Kazekage, as if she had been a poisonous snake.**_

_**The Kazekage, child in his grasp, nodded to the couple, then left back to his own home.**_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_**"Dad, who's the kid?" A young blonde girl questioned. Temari.**_

_**She was estactic to have another female n the house, but curious nonetheless.**_

_**"She is the sacfifice for for Sharne Kalik and Sharne Juliane. I ordered them to either ive thier own life, or give thier only child's life. They surrendered thier child."**_

_**"Selfish pigs," Temari replied bluntly.**_

_**The Kazekage sighed, then set the young girl down.**_

_**"What is your name?" Kazekage asked.**_

_**The girl brought her knees to her chest, then bowed her head shyly. Her shoulder length black hair tumbled across her cheeks.**_

_**"...K-Kiele..." She answered softly.**_

_**"Kiele. It suits you, young one."**_

_**Kiele looked up at the Kazekage.**_

_**"Huh?"**_

_**The Kazekage nodded to Temari, then face two other boys in the room.**_

_**"I have duties to attend to. Watch the young one until Yashamaru arrives."**_

_**"Yes, father," The older of the two boys replied.**_

_**As soon as the Kazekage left, Temari pounced on the poor girl.**_

_**"Aww, aren't you just the cutest little thing!" She cried, pulling Kiele into her arms.**_

_**Kiele squealed in fright.**_

_**The oldest boy chuckled.**_

_**"You'd better lay off the chokeholds for the first few weeks, Temari."**_

_**"Shut up, Kankurou!" Temari screeched.**_

_**The youngest boy sat in a corner of the room, reserving himself.**_

_**"So! How old are you, girlie?" Temari asked.**_

_**"I'm three and a half," Kiele spoke softly.**_

_**"Oh!" Temari gazed over at the boy hiding in the corner.**_

_**"Gaara's almost four. The two of you should get along well, with your ages so close together."**_

_**Kankurou looked at Gaara and smiled.**_

_**"Well? Are you just gonna sit there and stare at her, or are you gonna go over there and say "hi" ?"**_

_**Gaara shrank into the shadows, and Kakurou sighed.**_

_**"That's Gaara. He's not much of a people person," Kankurou explained dully to Kiele.**_

_**"So, tell us a little about yourself."**_

_**"Ummm... what did the Kazekage mean when he said that my name suited me?" Kiele asked.**_

_**Temari smiled.**_

_**"He said that because your name "Sharne" means "desert", and we live in a desert. "Kiele" means "fragrant flower", and Dad must mean that you're a pretty little girl."**_

_**Kiele smiled and blushed lightly.**_

_**"I wish that I had a name like that," Temari complimented.**_

_**Kankurou smiled deviously.**_

_**"But, Temari, then you wouldn't live up to your name," He tauned in a matter-of-factly tone.**_

_**Temari growled.**_

_**"Kankurou!" **_

_**Temari chucked her shoe at the boy, and he yelped as he ducked just in the nick of time to aviod a vicious beheading.**_

_**Kiele squeaked and scooted away from Temari.**_

_**"Oh, it's alright!" Temari assured her.**_

_**"I only attack those who insult me. You're too adorable to hurt!"**_

_**Temari pulled Kiele back into a choking embrace.**_

_**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"Kazekage-sama..."**_

_**"Kiele... what is it?"**_

_**Kiele paused.**_

_**"I was taken away from mommy and daddy because they did something bad, right?"**_

_**The Kazekage looked up from his desk. He stared intently at the young three year old before him.**_

_**"Yes. What are you getting at, little one?"**_

_**"Well... mom...mommy and daddy would have died if they had chosen thier lives over mine, right? And what will happen to me since they chose to sacrifice me?"**_

_**The Kazekage kept his intense stare on the child as she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, and stared at her feet.**_

_**"Will... will I die, now that I'm in the place of mommy and daddy?"**_

_**The Kazekage's gaze turned sympathetic.**_

_**"No, child, you won't die."**_

_**"Then... what will happen to me? I have to be punished on behalf of them..."**_

_**The Kazekage was stunned by how much a three year old child thought about her own life. Children of such an age usually had no worries, and were carefree.**_

_**"Originally... yes, you would have been killed. However, I have decided that I might want to keep you around a little longer. You will serve all of the Kazekage, starting with me. You will submit to thier every will, until you yourself die."**_

_**Kiele smiled and nodded. Slavery was better to her than death. At least she thought it was, at the time...**_

_**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"Can I go and play outside, Kazekage-sama, my liege?" Kiele asked, sitting on her knees and bowing down so low that her forehead touched the ground. **_

_**"Yes, little one, you may."**_

**_"Arigato gozaimashita!"_**

_**The child smiles and runs out the door, heading to the park.**_

_**Arriving at the park there are children, most older than her, playing ball. The children appear to be around eight or nine.**_

_**Over on a swingset, sat one child. She recgonized him from earlier.**_

_**"Gaara..."**_

_**"Hi, Gaara!" Kiele greeted cheerfully, taking a seat beside of him.**_

_**"K-Kiele...?" Gaara asked, looking at her, his teal eyes filled with sorrow.**_

_**"Mhm!" She replied, swinging gently back and forth.**_

_**"Oh no! Now look at what you did, baka! The ball's stuck!"**_

_**"I- I want to h-help them..." Gaara muttered.**_

_**To Kiele's shock, sand swirled around Gaara. Her eyes widened as the sand formed a giant hand, which retrieved the children's ball from its location. However, as the children saw the ball and Gaara's sand, they screamed and ran.**_

_**"Ahhh! Run, it's Sabaku no Gaara!" **_

_**"He'll kill us all!"**_

_**"Mommy said he's a bakemono!"**_

_**"No!" Gaara exclaimed, standing from the swing.**_

_**"I don't want to be alone... don't leave me alone!"**_

_**His sand tracked down a frightened girl and clung to her tightly.**_

_**"Stay here! Don't leave me all alone!"**_

_**The girl cried and screamed, screaming to be freed, and for her life.**_

_**"Gaara, stop it!" Kiele yelled in the girl's defense.**_

_**Gaara, who had forgotten in that Kiele was standing there in all the commotion, released the girl, who ran off quickly, tripping over her own feet.**_

_**"Y-you can't leave me all alone! I don't want to be left be myself!" Gaara shrieked, his sand coiling around her ankles.**_

_**Kiele gasped, and his sand crept up her small figure, devouring her in no time at all up to her neck.**_

_**"Please, Gaara! Let me go! I won't leave you!" **_

_**"Promise?" Gaara inquired, his sand loosening its grasp on her frame.**_

_**His sand dropped to the ground, and Kiele turned and ran.**_

_**"No!" Gaara yelled, sending his sand after her.**_

_**"You promised!"**_

_**"I'm not running away from you!" Kiele giggled, turning around.**_

_**She bent down and picked up the ball that Gaara had gotten.**_

_**"Come play, Gaara!"**_

_**Gaara recalled his sand, and smiled as he rushed over to her.**_

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"Gaara and Kiele have become must inseperable," The Kazekage droaned to Yashamaru.**_

_**"I fear that if this continues on, when Gaara is killed, Kiele will mourn over the loss over her friend, and sink into a state of depression.**_

_**"She still had Temari and Kankurou."**_

_**"True. However, she isn't as close to them as she is Gaara. They spend all thier time with one another. Strangely enough, she doesn't sleep either, so both of them are together at all times."**_

_**"..."**_

_**"Precisely, Yashamaru. And, her life is in my hands as of the bonding ceremony tonight. If she is upset, she will not preform well, especially if she knows that I am the one who warranted his death. I cannot have that."**_

_**"Perhaps, Kiele is just the remedy Gaara needs to aviod him destroying the village." **_

_**The Kazekage was about to ask what he meant, but was cut off by the sound of sobbing coming from behind his closed office door.**_

_**Yashamaru whipped it open as the Kazekage rushed to the door.**_

_**On the other side sat Kiele, sobbing into her arms.**_

_**"Kiele," Kazekage began, picking the child up.**_

_**"What is the matter?"**_

_**Yashamaru froze.**_

_**"Y-you didn't happen... to hear our conversation, did you?"**_

_**Kiele shook her head, and continued to sob.**_

_**"Tell me, young one, what troubles you?"**_

_**"Yashamaru, we'll continue our conversation later."**_

_**Yashamaru nodded, then left the room.**_

_**"I-I saw m-mommy and daddy at the m-market," Kiele whimpered.**_

_**"I told them hi, but t-they just called me a bakemono, and told me to go away... and then..."**_

_**"And then?" Kazekage questioned.**_

_**"T-then... then mommy cursed at me, and daddy hit me... I think I bled, cause my face felt really wet..."**_

_**Kazekage lifted up Kiele's chin, and looked at her face.**_

_**A thick red line trailed down the left corner of the girl's mouth, and her mouth was also filled with the warm liquid from the force of the impact. There was also blood smeared all over her face, most likely spread by the tears that she had shed.**_

_**"Mommy and daddy... they don't love me... they never did... they sacrificed nothing when they gave me to you..."**_

_**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"Kiele, open the palm of your hand."**_

_**"Yes, my liege."**_

_**Kiele obediently did as she was told.**_

_**Kazekage pulled out a kunai knife, placing the blade on the right side of the plam of her hand. Slowly, he made a cut trailing to the left side of her palm. Kiele stared at the trail of blood in her hand, never wincing once. The Kazekage noticed this.**_

_**"Shut your palm, and raise it vertically. Then squeeze."**_

_**Again, she did as she was told, the liquid oozing onto the tile floor.**_

_**"Speak your oath."**_

_**"Upon this oath, my liege, I solemnly swear, to serve all of the leiges after thee, until the day that I shall die."**_

_**The Kazekage nodded, satisfied.**_

_**"Then, you shall be hereforth deemed as the Kazekage's personal servile of of absolute survitude."**_

_**The girl nodded, even though she failed to understand such large and complicated words.**_

_**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"Yashamaru."**_

_**"Yes, Kazekage-sama?"**_

_**"...You know the parents of Kiele, no?"**_

_**"Yes. Rather dishonost, unreliable scoundrels, if you ask me."**_

_**"Hm. I thought as much..."**_

_**"How is that?"**_

_**"Kiele saw her parents in the market place earlier this morning, and they cursed and struck her. The blood on her face was immense."**_

_**"..."**_

_**"Yashamaru."**_

_**"Yes?"**_

_**"I'm postponing the assassination on Gaara. It's only temporary."**_

_**"But, why my liege?"**_

_**"They made a fool of me, the Kazekage. They made me look guliable, and they made me think that they cared about thier daughter, when she was the one thing they could care less about. I want to see her dead."**_

_**"..."**_

_**"Kill them, Yashamaru. Then, we will focus once again on killing Gaara."**_

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**One year later...**_

_**"Kiele. There are important matters to be discussed with you."**_

_**"Okay, my liege." **_

_**Kiele bowed down respectively.**_

_**"Kiele. Stand."**_

_**Kiele obeyed.**_

_**"Firstly, come here."**_

_**She walked forward, and the Kazekage stood up. She was rediculously short compared to him. He then latched a thick wristband around her wrist.**_

_**"This is a "suveniour" of your loyalty and trustworthiness towards your lord," Kazekage explained before she could ask any questions.**_

_**"Secondly..." He sat back down at his desk, and Kiele stood before him.**_

**_"Your... _**parents**_... have finally succumbed to the ravages of time..." He stressed the word "parents" as if he spoke of some contagious disease. If Kiele had been any older, she would have realized what the man meant by emphasizing the word._**

_**"Cucumber... savages of time?" The four year old questioned, genuinely confused.**_

_**The Kazekage grinned at her ignorance and her lack in vocabulary.**_

_**"What I meant, is that your parents have... gone waya. Never to return to Sunagakure. They have gone somewhere else, where they belong."**_

"In the firey pits of hell,"**_ He spat in his mind._**

_**"...I... I don't get it, Kazekage-sama..."**_

_**"Child, your parents have died," Kazekage finally blurted out bluntly.**_

_**"..." Kiele didn't know what to say.**_

_**"Now, with that out of the way..." He paused. "Where did you get that doll?"**_

_**"Oh, her?" Kiele held up a black haired doll with emerald eyes and dressed in tan rags.**_

_**"That... is that a doll of you?" Kazekage demanded incredulously.**_

_**"Yes. She will be given everything that the real me couldn't."**_

_**"And, what might that be?"**_

_**"Many things, Kazekage-sama. She will be fed, watered, and have a roof over her head. She will have friends, a family..."**_

_**Kazekage smiled at her, until she came to her last sentence.**_

_**"...she will also be loved and cared for, and not be hated be everyone just because she has strange gifts."**_

_**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**Kiele, now six, cried herself to sleep that night.**_

_**"Kiele... Kiele! What's wrong?" Gaara asked, shaking the girl awake.**_

_**"You were crying in your sleep. What's wrong?"**_

_**"N-nothing, Gaara... 'cause I'm sad... I'm crying because I... "**_

_**"Because why?"**_

_**Kiele couldn't hold it in herself anymore.**_

_**"Because... Yashamaru tried to kill me! He tried to kill me!"**_

_**She curled back into a ball and wept.**_

_**Gaara stared, awestruck.**_

_**"Yashamaru... tried to kill you? But, why?"**_

_**" 'Cause I have Takai! Mom and dad hated me for the same reason! Yashamaru and Kazekage-sama are no different!"**_

_**Kiele wiped her eyes, ashamed, then looked up at Gaara.**_

_**"Y-you hate me too, don't you? Will you turn on me, and try to kill me?"**_

_**"No!" Gaara bellowed**_

_**"We're friends! I'll never hurt you! I promise!"**_

_**Kiele would have smiled, but her jaw forbade it. She didn't know it then, but she had smiled for the last time. She wouldn't smile for a long time after then.**_

_**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"Yashamaru!" Gaara demanded.**_

_**Yashamaru turned around and saw the two six year old children.**_

_**"Gaara... forgive me... " Yashamaru begged, lunging at the two, a kunai in hand.**_

_**Kiele screamed, and Gaara protected them with his sand. When the sand fell, in fear, Gaara sent the sand after him. It knocked the wind out of Yashamaru. Blood trickled down his mouth. More failed attempts followed, and soon Yashamaru was near death. Gaara realized what he had done, and ran to his side, trying to apologize.**_

_**"I tried to... love you, Gaara... but when you killed my dear sister... that aspect became impossible..."**_

_**"I hate you, Gaara. You will never be loved either, Kiele... both of you, I despise you, as does everyone else..."**_

_**He opened his vest to reveal bombs.**_

_**"Please die."**_

_**Gaara covered Kiele and himself with sand and the bombs exploded.**_

_**Kiele cried.**_

_**"You should have just let me die, Gaara... now, I have to suffer longer..."**_

_**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"You cannot associate any longer with Gaara, Kiele."**_

_**"No!" Kiele shrieked.**_

_**"Gaara's my best friend! He's my only friend! I can't abandon him!"**_

_**Kazekage cringed.**_

**_"You are _**mine**_, Kiele. _**Mine**_. You belong to me. You will obey me. Or you will die."_**

_**Kiele turned her back to the Kazekage.**_

_**"Kill me, then. But I will never betray Gaara! Without him, I wouldn't be able to feel, Kazekage-sama! My heart will die! Please!"**_

_**"Then let your heart die," Kazekage replied coldly. "You don't need to feel to serve me."**_

_**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

Kiele obeyed the Kazekage, although it tore her slowly to pieces. She ignored Gaara, and slowly but surely, they grew apart. Soon niether had a single friend, and Kiele was no longer the kind soft-spoken girl she used to be. As Gaara, she learned that nobody cared for her, and she patiently anticipates death. She became defiant and cold, and even the Kazekage began to have problems controlling her. She went to Gaara to apologize despite Kazekage's demands, only to find that he had place an Ai on his forehead, and replied that he hated her.

**_"You abandoned me," Gaara growled._**

_**"Not on purpose," Kiele defended. "You're damned father forbade me to have any contact with you."**_

_**Gaara glared at her.**_

_**"Then what are you doing here?"**_

_**"I want to make sure we're still friends."**_

_**Gaara looked up at the moon.**_

_**"I hate everyone. I will prove my exitence by killing everyone else but me. We're not friends, rest assured of that."**_

_**"You're lying. You think you have it bad. You're not alone there. At least be thankful you don't have a collar around your neck to answer to the bastard's every whim."**_

_**"I love only myself. We're no longer friends. Now leave."**_

_**"I won't leave."**_

_**"Go, now!"**_

_**"No. I'm going nowhere, Gaara."**_

_**Gaara glared at her again.**_

_**"Leave, or I'll force you to go!"**_

_**"You would be as horrid as to break your word. You promised me six years ago that you would never hurt me," Kiele shot slyly.**_

**_"I _**am **_horrid, baka! I am Shukaku! What I said six years ago means nothing to me!"_**

_**"Then kill me now."**_

_**"Fine!" Gaara snarled. **_

_**His sand wrapped around Kiele's right arm, and her eyes widened.**_

_**"Subaku Soso!"**_

_**Kiele screamed in agony as her arm was crushed by the sand. The sand only tightened.**_

_**"I told you to leave! There is nothing more between us than that of hate!"**_

_**Kiele's eyes turned a dark crimson, a rush of wind wisped about her, and the sand fell to the earth like a useless tool.**_

_**She grasped her arm.**_

_**"Fine. I'll leave. I understand. You're right. There is nothing but hate between us."**_

_**Her voice was unhuman, and mixed with that of a demon's. She then turned and left back to the side of the Kazekage.**_

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kiele was disturbed in her thoughts as sand swirled around her.

"Wake up," Gaara's cold voice snapped at Kiele.

"Why? What round is it?" Kiele responded.

"It's the seventh round."

"Huh?" She was shocked.

"Was I out of it for that long?"

Temari nodded.

"You hadn't blinked for about three minutes straight," Kankurou added.

Kiele looked down to see a blonde boy and two black haired boys fighting. The boy, Kiba, and Naruto.

**_"Man-beast clone... not bad..."_** Kiele mused.

She turned to Gaara.

"You know, I really hope I am paired with you," She sneered.

Gaara glared.

"If you're paired with me, you'll die. I won't waste any time killing you."

"You'd probably enjoy it," Kiele laughed bitterly, grasping her right arm.

Gaara didn't respond.

"You'd be doing me a favor, killing me. I'd enjoy every moment of my own death as well. I don't blame you for your anticipation... but I won't just kneel down to you either. I'll fight back. I have enough pride to not die a shameful death."

"Uhhh... Kiele..." Temari interjected. She pointed at the board. Naruto and Kiba's battle was over with Naruto as the victor. Two new names were displayed.

Sharne Kiele

vs.

Hyuuga Neji


	3. The Demon, the Dragon, and the Sandstorm

Kiele smiled, then jumped over the railing. All she had to do was picture Gaara's - no, the Kazekage's face, the one who tore her away from her only friend, and drove her into insanity, on the white-eyed kid's face.

Hayate coughed.

"You may begin."

Kiele made several hand seals.

"I'm telling you," Neji spoke in a deadly calm voice, "If you fight me, your fate will an unplesant one. Give up now, or suffer."

"Give up!" Kiele scoffed. "I didn't come all this way to have some kid tell me to give up. I forgot the meaning of those words a long time ago."

Neji glared.

"Then suffer it is. Your fate was sealed when you were chosen to fight me."

He made a series of hand seals, then called out, "Byukagan!"

Kiele pulled a kunai from her pouch.

"Bring it on, fool!"

Neji ran at her, his hand out, aiming for her chest.

**_"He wants to end this quickly, does he?"_** Kiele mused. **_"In that case, I'll have to grant his wish."_**

Kiele dodged his hand, then quickly plunged the kunai into his abdomen. He tilted backwards, but was unable to completely avoid the blade, and was scathed. He grimaced, then aimed again for her heart. Kiele flipped back onto her hands, then rapidly kicked at the boy's face. He evaded every attack, then he pulled out a kunai and slashed her thigh. Kiele hung her head as Neji continued her assult with his kunai. Finally, he stepped back to admire his work, then frowned. His expression became that of shock as he looked at her cuts. She was not bleeding blood, but **_sand_**. Kiele lifted her head up, a smile crossing her face.

"What the hell are you?" Neji demanded, raising his fist again. He stood in his fighting posture.

"I'm a monster, can't you tell?" Kiele answered, raising her kunai. She stabbed it into her hand.

Everyone in the room gasped and murmured, all except for the sand siblings and thier sensei. More sand poured from her hand and cuts, and Kiele's smile widened.

"I used a jutsu when the fight started. It allows me to be temporarily immune to all wounds of jutsu, and that includes your toy there, as well as your pathetic Byukagan."

Neji growled.

"Fate is already sealed! I will win this match!"

"If you know all about fate, Neji... you **_should_** see that it is you who shall leave here in a stretcher."

"Enough!" Neji spat, running at Kiele.

"You may be powerful in your village... but against a demon, a monster, a numb tool who doesn't feel... your power is **_void_**."

Kiele jumped clear over Neji, then weilded six kunai, between her fingers, then lunged in Neji from above. On instict, he lashed out his hand, which ever so lightly brushed against her arm. She cringed in pain, and didn't feel any better when she felt Neji's blood on her hands.

**_"I don't want to kill..."_** Kiele whimpered in her head. **_"I don't want to be Gaara's monster, his tool..."_**

Neji didn't even cringe, but Kiele could see the pain in his eyes.

In a moment's weakness, she crawled off of Neji and stood up.

It was Temari and Kankurou's time to gasp. Baki's expression twisted into confusion. Even Gaara's eyes widened in shock.

Neji stood up and snickered.

"What was all that big talk about being, "a demon, a monster, and a numb tool"?"

Kiele remained silent.

"If you were a real monster, you would have finished me off just then. But you didn't. You **_pitied _**me, didn't you?"

"It wasn't pity. It was that."

Kiele pointed her kunai to the one in Neji's grasp.

"You would have stabbed me with that. Then, you probably would have gotten a clean shot at my heart with that Byukagan of yours. Then I'd be dead. Don't think that I don't know what that Byukagan of yours does. I know very well."

Neji smiled slightly.

"So you're not as dumb as I'd took you for in the beginning. It's a start."

**_"Such meaningless insults..."_**

Neji ran at Kiele yet again, and Kiele realized that he had gotten faster. She spent more of her time dodging than trying to counter-attack.

**_"And I thought he was serious before..." _**Kiele mused, being tapped by his hand in the same spot as earlier. She grimiaced in pain and jumped back, holding her shoulder.

**_"Takai... playtime's over..."_**

**_(Finally! My long awaited blood-lust will be filled at last...)_**

_**"Whatever. Shed as much blood as you want... just don't kill him."**_

**_(Grrrr... the Neji boy was right. You're no monster. You're just a _**child **_who can't let go of the past, and of her childhood friend. You want to save Gaara, but you don't realize that saving _**him**_ is beyond anyone's power-)_**

_**"Shut up, Takai. Do you want out or what?"**_

__

_**"That's what I thought."**_

Kiele closed her eyes, and sand engulfed her body in a dome. The sand swirled around her figure and she began to transform. Her teeth and nails became more carnivorous, and her irises became pitch black with red pupils. Black marks were written across her body and face.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_"I'm your friend, Kiele! I'd never hurt you! I promise!"_**

_**"Will... will you betray me, too?"**_

_**"Monsters don't keep thier word!"**_

_**"I understand, Gaara. There's no longer anything between us. Except for hate."**_

_**"I- I'm sorry... I didn't mean to betray you... if I didn't ignore you, Kazekage would have killed you..."**_

_**"He'll kill me anyways, eventually. Unless he dies first. You should have stayed by my side."**_

_**"I'm sorry... can you find it in your mind to forgive me?"**_

_**"... No."**_

_**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

The sand around Kiele fell, and she then collapsed in a heap on the floor. Sand twisted and spun, then fell to reveal her form of Takai.

Neji's eye's widened, as Takai lunged at him at top speed.

"Die, Hyuuga Neji! I'll feast on your flesh and bathe in your blood!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_"How do I prove that I'm sorry?"_**

_**"If you're desperate enough, I'm sure you'll find a way."**_

_**"What... what if I accompany you to the Chuunin Exams? And be your body guard?"**_

_**"I have my sand. That's guard enough."**_

_**"But... there's always the possibility that someone will be able to break through it. In that case, I'll be there to protect you. And, if need be, die for you. Will I be your friend then?"**_

_**"I could forgive you. But I said nothing about being your friend. That relationship is dead and gone."**_

_**"But, Gaara, you're my friend! I really care for you, I do-!"**_

_**"No. You cared for the old Gaara. He died with Yashamaru. This is now me. I have no friends. I'm alone. You know that."**_

_**"I know... but I am alone too. If you'd be there for me, you can have me."**_

_**"..."**_

_**"I promise, I won't leave you anymore! I'll kill your father if I have to prove myself to you, Gaara!"**_

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

Takai pounced on Neji. He jabbed her with his palm, but even when she threw up blood, the only one that felt pain was Kiele, not Takai, so she pressed on.

"Fool! She warned you that demons don't feel!"

Takai plunged her clawed hand into Neji's vaulnerable abdomen.

"Die! Bleed! Perish! Now who's the one who will suffer, baka?"

Neji doubled over, and Takai removed her hand from his flesh. He threw up blood and grasped his wound. Takai grinned wickedly.

Neji glanced over at Kiele's body, then made a realization.

He struggled to his feet, then ran for Kiele's unconsious body. If he was able to destroy the source, then the demon would die as well.

Takai realized what Neji was attemping, then grabbed him by the back of neck. Her nails dug into his neck, and his warm liquid blood ran down her fingers.

"I don't think so, little man!" She screeched, flinging him against the wall behind her.

(**_A/N:_**That's actually kinda funny, her calling him little man, when she's somewhat of three inches shorter than him... -')

Neji groaned as his back slammed against the wall and his head lolled slightly to the side.

"That's what's wrong with Kiele," Takai hissed, licking Neji's blood from her fingers.

"She lacks what it takes to kill anyone. That's why she's lucky to have me. A demon to summon to do her dirty work and kill for her... She thinks that she can get through the world of the shinobi without killing anyone. But that's where she's wrong. That's why she counts me as a blessing, a gift, not a curse. She's soft, and it tears her apart just to land a punch on her enemies. She could be a great shinobi- but she lacks the will to kill. That is the only restraint left holding her back from reaching her full capibilities."

Neji wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, then stood up.

Takai glared at him, then vanished in a whirlwind of sand. Everything was silent for a moment, then Kiele stirred on the floor, getting to her feet. She panted, then stumbled forward. Having her spirit repidly drained from her, and then having it suddenly returned to her nearly knocked the wind out of her everytime.

"Neji... have you had enough?" Kiele asked. "Or... do I have to envoke more pain into you?"

Neji grinned, and Kiele frowned.

"That monster said that you... hated to kill. You won't finish me off. You can't."

"Just because I don't find it fun to murder, doesn't mean that I won't tear myself apart on the inside to get you off of the map, Neji."

Neji's smug smile wasn't wiped off.

"You sure talk a lot, but can you back it up?"

Kiele threw a shuriken aimed at Neji's face, but he only deflected it to the floor with a kunai.

"Finish me off now. That is, if you can. Without that demon, you're nothing. If you let it take over again, you'll be knocked out longer than just a few minutes, which will be just like forfeiting."

"Shut up! You have no idea who I am, so stop acting like you do!"

Neji smiled then lunged forward. He wasn't playing this time around. Kiele found it hand to dodge his hands at the speed he was going.

**_"I guess I recalled Takai too soon..."_**

Neji thrust his right hand forward. To Kiele's misfortune, he hit her in the heart. Though it was slightly off, it was enough to knock the the normal person out instantly. Kiele stumbled backward and doubled over, clutching her chest.

"I warned you. Your fate is sealed, and in a matter of minutes, you'll die."

Kiele dropped to her knees. She coughed blood on the floor, and Kankurou leaned on the railing.

"Kiele! No!"

Temari put her foot on the rail, then Kiele stood up.

"Don't come down here, Temari. It's not over yet."

Guy cringed on the top level, watching the fight.

**_"Who is this girl, to be able to withstand Neji's gentle fist technique? She can evenly match up to him..."_**

"What are you saying? This match was over before it even began. Just leave now, or shall I continue?" Neji inquired, lifting his palm.

"This move... will end it all now!" Kiele announced to him, bringing her hands up in the seal of the tiger.

She made a long sequence of hand seals, and Neji stared intently at her.

**_"No matter what jutsu this is, it won't be enough to bring me down."_**

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows, staring at Kiele.

**_"This isn't good... I've heard of that move!"_**

"Kakashi-sensei, what jutsu is that?" Sakura asked, pointing at Kiele. "I don't think I've seen that one before..."

"It's no jutsu, Sakura," Kakashi replied. "This is a kekkei genkai. And a very rare one. I've only seen it once. No genin-level ninja could ever have mastered it. It's nothing like the sharingan."

"No way!" Naruto shouted, looking at Kakashi, then turning his attention to Kiele.

Kiele froze on her last seal, the seal of the snake.

"First Fang, emerge!"

"What the- it isn't a jutsu!" Neji yelled, stepping back.

Cuts appeared on Kiele's body. She no longer bled sand, but blood. Sand swirled around her body, forming the head of a dragon.

"First Fang won't put you down, so... Second and Third Fang, emerge!"

Kiele's cuts deepened, and she cringed in her self-inflicting pain. The sand dragon was no longer just a head, and from the sand it grew two front claws.

"Now... Sand seperpent, I summon thee!"

After calling this out, Kiele collapsed onto a heap on the ground. Not unconsious, but too weak to stand.

Neji realized this, and smiled.

**_"If I can just withstand this technique, then this match will be mine."_**

Soon, the dragon swirled and spun saround the room, and in no time a sandstorm had brewed in the room.

Temari clutched to the rails and screamed for Kiele to get up, but due to the sandstorm, her voice barely traveled past through her own ears.

Everyone was forced to guard their faces with thier arms as the sandstorm whipped about thier bodies.

Neji stared in shock as the sand dragon weaved its way to him. He put his hands up to his face, but the dragon plowed into him, and his defense easily penetrated. Neji was thrown back into the way.

The sandstorm disapeared as quickly as it had come, and everyone lowered thier arms. What they saw shocked them. Kiele was still lying on the floor motionless; Neji, however, was not just pinned to the wall, but embeaded in it. His arms and legs were inside of the wall, and Neji's head hung carelessly down.

Hayate stepped forward, placing his hand on Neji's neck.

"He's alive, but unconsious."

All eyes turned to Kiele's figure.

**_"I won... how graceful..."_**

Kiele slowly struggled to her feet, then stumbled forward, caught her balance, only to fall backwards.

"Kiele!"

"Don't wory, we'll get'cha!"

Kiele fell into two pair of arms and looked up to see Temari and Kankurou.

"That was great! That was some sandstorm!" Temari complimented.

"Heh... I've had more graceful victories than this..." Kiele muttered.

"But, you won, and that's all that matters, right?" Kankurou grinned.

Kiele nodded, then cringed. Her heart still hurt where Neji landed that hit.

Kankurou gathered Kiele in his arms, Temari right beside him.

(**_A/N:_** Keep in kind this is NO Kankurou based story, so don't think like that! He's just Kiele's friend!)

A medical-nin walked up to the sand siblings and tapped Kankurou on the shoulder.

"Kiele-chan. Please allow us to treat your wounds in the infirmary-"

"Naw, you don't have to. She'll be alright in an hour or two," Kankurou interjected. He grinned. "Besides, she doesn't want to miss the rest of the preliminaries, do you, Kiele?"

"Kankurou, I agree with him. We should let her go."

Kiele shook her head. She still wanted to see who it was that got to be torn apart by Gaara.

"But-!" The medic-nin protested.

"Just shut up. She doesn't need your treatment."

Kiele jerked her head around as she was taken out of Kankurou's arms by another. She saw Gaara.

"Uhh... if Gaara says no, you just better listen to him," Kankurou told the medic-nin.

"Wait!" Kiele yelled.

Gaara froze.

"What?" He demanded.

"Hey, you..." Kiele motioned to the medic-nin.

"How's Neji? He- I didn't kill him, did I?"

"No. He's unconsious, but he's still alive."

Kiele nodded, and Gaara walked up the steps, Kankurou and Temari follwing him. When they returned to their spot on the top floor, Gaara placed her down on the floor.

"Thanks," Kiele murmured.

Either Gaara hadn't heard her, or he was ignoring her.

"I guess the Sand Village is guarenteed a clean-sweep in the preliminaries," Kankurou mused aloud.

"Well, not entirely, er, **_clean_**," Kiele muttered, looking at the small pool of blood that had began to form around her.

"Ew. You might want to sit on something," Temari replied, eyeing the bllod and slowly steping away from it.

Kankurou snickered and picked Kiele up.

"Maybe we should have gave her over to those medic-nin-"

"Put her down, Kankurou," Gaara snapped.

"But, Gaara, she really should get medical attention-" Temari started.

"She's staying here."

Kankurou shut up, and placed her back down beside Gaara to sit in her own blood.

"I'm going to get a towel or something though... this is gross..." Temari added, heading towards the medic-nin.

She returned shortly with a black towel from the infirmary, and Kiele scooted over to sit on it after Temari laid it down.

"Oh, two sand in a row!" Kakurou laughed, looking at the board.

Kiele's head shot up, and she looked at the names as well. There were two new names displayed.

_**Gaara**_

_**vs.**_

_**Rock Lee**_


	4. The Demon's Truth and Armoured Wounds

_**The Demon's Truth and Armoured Wounds**_

Foremost, I'm sorry about the delay of my stories. Some things have come up and are annoyingly getting in the way. I'm sorry for the wait, but it's up now:) I'll try not to let such a long period of time pass before posting again. Enjoy!

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"Let me go run an "errand"," Kankurou demanded before heading towards the staircase.

"Kankurou?" Temari asked from beside of Kiele.

"I'm going to go on a little recon mission," He explained, waving his hand dissmissively.

"I-I want to go with!" Kiele piped up, attempting to stand. Instead, she quickly collapsed back to the floor, making a sickly splashing echoing when she made contact with her blood.

"Alright, kiddie, let's go."

Kankurou picked up Kiele in his arms, towel and all, and headed across the arena.

"Hey," Kankurou called, walking up the opposite staircase.

"What are you two doing here?" The blonde inquired curiously.

"Shouldn't you be with your team?" Kankurou inquired back, completely ignoring Naruto's question.

"It doesn't matter to you," Naruto replied. He glanced at the bundle of bloody "joy" in Kankurou's arms.

"You really tore yourself up during that fight. Most of your wounds... you gave yourself."

Kiele smiled sheepishly.

"I didn't use all of my powers. If I wasn't so worn out from summoning my demon Takai, I woundn't have been so worn out. Calling on her requires not only a lot of chakra, but physical energy as well."

"Woah! You mean that that **thing** that came out of the sand wasn't a jutsu or bloodline-thingy! It was a **demon** that's sealed **inside** of **you**!" Naruto shouted, staring with bulging blue orbs.

Kiele sweatdropped.

_"He's not as bright as he looks in the end..."_

"Well, yeah, Takai, a demon, is sealed inside of me. Always has been."

"Oh..."

_"The kid's acting strange... he's hiding something, no doubt..."_

"Well, if I ever come face to face against you, I won't lose, demon or not! No sandstorm will be able to blow me away!"

Kankurou snickered.

"In that battle, she only used one jutsu, summoned Takai, then didn't even use the full extent her kekkei genkai. Sure, she was hit a couple times, but even you said so, she did most of this to herself. So actually, you're way below her level."

Naruto's confident expression fadded as quickly as it had come.

"You're an interesting guy. I like you," Kankurou added.

"Well, you're **not** interesting. I **don't** like you," Naruto responded.

He turned and stood up to Kankurou bravely, despite the fact that he wasa whole head shorter than him. Kiele suppressed a laugh.

_"Kankurou was right. This kid _is _interesting. Interesting, but bravely stupid."_

_"This brat... I'm going to kill him,"_ Kankurou droaned to himself.

Hayate coughed.

"Match nine, Gaara vs. Rock Lee."

Sand swirled around Gaara, and he vanished, reappearing on the stadium floor. Rock Lee jumped over the rail, landing in stance.

"I'm happy that I can fight you so soon," Rock Lee explained to Gaara.

Gaara remained silent.

"This Lee... I don't know who he is, or what kind of moves he uses... but he's a dead man if he thinks he can take Gaara-sama," Kiele told Kankurou and Naruto.

Kankurou nodded.

"Gaara..." Kiele began.

**_' "You would be horrid to break your word. You promised me six years ago that you would never hurt me," Kiele shot slyly._**

**_"I _**am **_horrid, baka! I am Shukaku! What I said six years ago means nothing to me!"_**

_**"Then kill me now."**_

_**"Fine!" Gaara snarled. **_

_**His sand wrapped around Kiele's right arm, and her eyes widened.**_

_**"Sabaku Soso!"**_

_**Kiele screamed in agony as her arm was crushed by the sand. The sand only tightened.**_

_**"I told you to leave! There is nothing more between us than that of hate!" '**_

"... he... will kill anything, or anyone... who opposes him..."

' **_"I _**am **_horrid, baka! I am Shukaku! What I said six years ago means nothing to me!" '_**

"...it's as if he isn't even human..."

"Yeah," Kankurou responded, watching the fight between Lee and Gaara commence.

"I know what you mean."

Suddenly, Lee's hand lashed out, catching the cork to Gaara's gourd in his grasp.

"Don't get so hasty," Lee accused.

Gaara only glared, his hate-glazed eyes fixed on his prey.

"Now, let the ninth match... begin," Hayate announced.

Lee immeadiately ran forward, quite recklessly, as Kiele thought.

"Konoha Senpuu!" Lee cried.

He twirled arround, his leg lashing out. Gaara failed to be even slightly phased with his arms still folded, and a wall of sand flew up in his defense.

"Wow! Another sand user!" Naruto exclaimed, leaning over the railing.

Kankurou and Kiele were silent. "Wow" wasn't her word of choice for Gaara and his sand.

Gaara's sand shot out like a tidal wave, attempting to crush Lee. The bobbed-haired boy quickly flipped backwards, bringing his legs to his chest. He skidded when he reached back to the earth. Gaara's sand retreated back to his gourd slowly.

_"A technique that controls sand, huh?"_ Lee thought curiously. _"Let's try it out!"_

Lee ran at Gaara, his right hand behind his back, readying to unsheath a kunai. Gaara never missed a beat, and his sand emerged quickly from his gourd once more. Lee kicked towards Gaara's head, only to be blocked by Gaara's sand. He punched at his abdomen, and spun, thrust a kunai at Gaara's head, and punched three more times with the same results. Gaara quickly went on the offensive, his grains assulting Lee from behind. He turned and saw the sand just in time and pulled out a kunai. He sliced through the sand, his arms criss-crossed. He spun and flipped, slicing and avioding the desert demon's lethal sand. Lee once again took the offensive, his leg thrashing against his opponet's sand. But it didn't last long, as Gaara didn't seem to want to defend and his sand made an attempt to Lee's head. Lee flipped twice sideways to aviod the attack, then rolled forwards several times.

"The bobbed-haired kid's evasion is good, but when Gaara decides he's done experimenting with him..." Kankurou began, his voice trailing off.

"...Then Gaara will play with him. And that is when it is truly over," Kiele finished quietly.

Lee jumped up and threw shuriken towards Gaara. Unsuprisingly, Gaara's sand prevented the attack. Lee landed, an annoyed expression dominating his face.

"What's going on?" Naruto demanded, grasping the rail tightly.

"Physical attacks have no effect on him," Kankurou explained.

Naruto looked at Kankurou, shocked.

"Regardless of Gaara's will, the sand will shield and protect him," Kiele added.

"That's why no one has **ever**... been able to hurt Gaara." Kiele finished bitterly.

**_' "...What is this for?" Gaara glared coldly at the ointment in Kiele's pale hands._**

_**"For your last mission... Kankurou and Temari were hurt pretty badly. Weren't you hurt?" **_

_**Gaara sneered.**_

_**"I have no need for it. I could not be touched, and even if I had been, I have the Suna no Yoroi. ...I am invincible."**_

_**"Oh... well, here, in case you ever need it."**_

_**She placed the small container next to Gaara. She cringed as she half expected him to knock it off the side of the building, but he didn't touch it. He didn't even look at it. She turned to leave.**_

_**"...Be prepared to leave early tomorrow morning. We're going to Konoha."**_

_**Kiele nodded, then left.'**_

Kiele cringed at her thoughts. She would trade her kekkei genkai anyday for the ability to erase memories.

_"Damn it, he hasn't moved at all,"_ Lee cursed to himself.

"...Is that it?" Gaara asked.

Lee appeared taken aback by Gaara's sudden question.

"Let me enjoy this a little more... because there isn't enough... **blood**!"

Kiele's body ran cold, and she shivered in Kankurou's arms.

_"He's nothing like what he _used _to be... he's a bloodthirsty killer... and... I hope that I **never** turn out like him..."_

**(Sometimes, ningen, these things are invietable. You're convinced that you can save the beholder of Shukaku... but the one you should most be concerned about is **you

Kiele flinched at Takai's words.

_"What do you mean...? I'm more than enough to save Gaara. Just give me some time-!"_

**(Fufufu... I don't see why you're so hell-bent on saving a demon! It can't be done, foolish girl! Especially when you can't even save yourself! How stu-)**

_"Shut **up**, Takai! You don't know the first thing about Gaara! You barely know me!"_

**(I know everything about the demon that you do. I am a part of you. I also know everything there is to know about you-)**

_"No, you don't know him! And how can you possibly know everything about me, when I barely know myself!"_

The demon shut up after that. Kiele crossed her arms.

"Put me down, Kankurou. I want to stand."

Kankurou shook his head.

"You can't stand, Kiele."

"Put me down," She repeated.

Kankurou did just that, but stayed near, knowing that he would probably wind up catching her. Kiele sat on the rail, her back to Kankurou.

Gaara's sand lunged after Lee, who jumped above it with ease. To his shock, the sand followed him up, grabbing his ankle and swinging him in circles like a ragdoll before flinging him helplessly against the wall. Lee sank to the floor, looking up and greeted by sand, which he quickly rolled to avoid. He then ran at Gaara and attempted hand-to-hand combat for a while. Again. The sand attacked Lee, but he preformed several backflips. However, the sand was too fast and it caused him to trip and fall. The wave of sand towered above him, and crashed down. Kiele looked up and saw the shinobi spinning up in the air. He landed on the statue of the stone sign of the ram. He knelt down, staring Gaara down and vice versus.

"Lee!" A male voice called. "Take them off!"

Kiele looked further down the platform and saw a man who looked strikingly like this Lee. She shuddered.

_"Uhhg... these people are _freaky

Lee saluted him.

"But, Guy-sensei, I thought that was only permitted when protecting many important people!"

"I don't care!" This Guy gave Lee a thumbs up and a wink. "I will allow it!"

Lee's face lit up, and he sat down on the statue and removed the orange sleeves from his legs. Beneath them were weights.

"I see!" Naruto exclaimed.

"How stupid," Kankurou retorted.

Lee repleaced his sleeves and stood up, weights in each of his hands. He hung them over the edge of the statue.

"Alright! I can move easier now!" He exclaimed, dropping the weights.

When the weights hit the floor, the ground shook with its impact. Kiele's eyes widened in shock and she yelped as she fell forward despite her grasp on the railing. Luckily, Kankurou grabbed her and pull her back.

"No more sitting on the railing," He scolded.

Kiele groaned and sat on the floor, watching the rest of the battle through the bars.

"Go, Lee!" Guy called.

"Yessir!" Lee replied, flames in his eyes.

Lee jumped up in a lightning speed. Kiele gasped. Gaara's once bored eyes widened in shock. Lee attempted to kick Gaara, the sand coudn't stop the speed he was going, and Lee almost hit him. Gaara whipped around, only for Lee to run behind him before Gaara knew what happened. He kicked at the back of Gaara's head,brushing pasthis hair. The sand lagged behind. Gaara spun around, his eyes still wide. This continued, with the same results. Lee's fist shot forward, and grazed the side of Gaara's head.

**_"I have no need for it. I could not be touched, and even if I had been, I have the Suna no Yoroi. ...I am invincible."_**

_**"I am invicible."**_

_**"I am invincible."**_

Kiele frowned.

_"You could very well stand corrected, Gaara... we **all** could."_

This continued for a while, Lee attempting to hit Gaara, Gaara turning around wildly trying to locate Lee, and Gaara's sand barely able to keep up. Finally, Lee jumped up, lashing out his foot. He brought it down hard, making clean contact with Gaara's head, which hung.

"**Incredible**!" Kiele blurted out. She tensed up.

She looked behind her at Kankurou, then at Temari and Baki across the arena. All three had the same gaping mouths, and the same shocked expression.

Lee skidded back, then looked happily up at his work. There was now a largegash on Gaara's cheek. Lee sped forward, and Gaara angrily waved his hand, creating a wall of sand. Lee sped around it, and toyed with the desertshinobi's sand once more.

"Over here!" Lee called.

Gaara looked only to be met by Lee's fist in his face. He flew backwards, landing harshly on the floor. Gaara slowly straightened upright, sand pouring from his gourd. It began to twist and churn around him, like waves.

"This isn't good..." Kankurou murmured.

"Yeah, maybe for that dark-eyed guy!" Naruto cheered, apparently on Lee's side. "He took a heavy hit!"

"That's not what he meant," Kiele interjected from the floor.

Naruto looked down at her.

"Wait a second..." Kiele mused aloud as she noticed shards fall from Gaara's face.

**_' "I have_ _no need for it. I could not be touched, and even if I had been, I have the Suna no Yoroi. ...I am invincible." '_**

_"That's right... this fight, the victor is still clear..."_

Kiele's muscles tenses even more.

"This fight... is over. Your friend Lee, Uzumaki Naruto, is finished."

Gaara's head rose, and sand crumbled off of his face. An insane smile was plastered on his face, causing Kiele's body to run cold for the second time during the fight.

"What the-?" Naruto began, never finishing his sentence.

_"It's been a while since I've seen that expression on Gaara..."_ Kiele thought sadly.

She felt tears sting her eyes as she watched the sand rise and swarm onto Gaara's skin, creating a new layer of sand armour.

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**_' "I'm not running away from you!" Kiele giggled, turning around._**

_**She bent down and picked up the ball that Gaara had gotten.**_

_**"Come play, Gaara!"**_

_**Gaara recalled his sand, and smiled as he rushed over to her.'**_

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_**' "Kiele... Kiele! What's wrong?" Gaara asked, shaking the girl awake. '**_

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**_' "Y-you hate me too, don't you? Will you turn on me, and try to kill me?"_**

_**"No!" Gaara bellowed.**_

_**"We're friends! I'll never hurt you! I promise!" '**_

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_**"You abandoned me," Gaara growled.**_

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**_"I hate everyone. I will prove my exitence by killing everyone else but me. We're not friends, rest assured of that."_**

_**"You're lying. You think you have it bad. You're not alone there. At least be thankful you don't have a collar around your neck to answer to the bastard's every whim."**_

_**"I love only myself. We're no longer friends. Now leave."**_

_**"I won't leave."**_

_**"Go, now!"**_

_**"No. I'm going nowhere, Gaara."**_

_**Gaara glared at her again.**_

_**"Leave, or I'll force you to go!"**_

_**"You would be as horrid as to break your word. You promised me six years ago that you would never hurt me," Kiele shot slyly.**_

**_"I _**am **_horrid, baka! I am Shukaku! What I said six years ago means nothing to me!"_**

_**"Then kill me now."**_

_**"Fine!" Gaara snarled. **_

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_"I... I was there the entire time... How could I allow this to happen?" _Kiele mourned mentally.

_"It's my fault... if he had just had... one friend... **me**... could this have been prevented... would I still have to save him?... No. I couldn't save him... Takai was right. I can't even save myself..."_

Kiele stared at Gaara. The sand had retired to Gaara's gourd. She then noticed Lee move, and her gaze shot to him. He had partially untied the bandages on his hands, and brought them up in front of his face. He then ran in circles around Gaara, creating a whirlwind. Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"Hurry up and attack," Gaara demanded.

"As you wish," Lee replied.

Lee suddenly uppercutted Gaara from below with his leg.

"I'm not done!"

Lee flipped onto his hands and kicked Gaara's abdomen, his sand left behind,unable to keep up. Lee continued his kicking assult on Gaara, then momentarily let up on the pain. Gaara's eyes widened, and Kiele never missed it. Leethenbound the bandages tightly around Gaara's body. He flipped upsidedown, and rocketed down at incredible speed. Kiele smiled bitterly.

_"This attack of the leaf's... it must be hard on his body. And I saw that replacement..."_

The arena floorshattered with the impact of the leaf genin's assult. Lee landed in a croutching position, breathing heavily. In the middle of the crater lay Gaara, his body motionless. Cracks covered his body. Soon, Gaara's body began to cave in, and the remainder of his body turned to sand.

"A replacement... Suna Bushin..." Kankurou acurately identified.

Kiele nodded.

"This is why... I presume Gaara is invinsible... because there's always something there to protect him, no matter the cirucmstance..."

Kankurou sighed.

"He's always got atrump card."

Lee stared at the sand clone that was Gaara and gaped. He whipped around to find himself face to face with the real Gaara. Sand poured from his gourd and over his body. Gaara looked up at Lee and his expression was that of a twisted smile. He lifted his hands, forming them in the sign of the tiger. His sand lashed at Lee, and he began to toy with him, wearing him down. This was Gaara's definition of "fun".

_"The monster within him... has surfaced..."_ Kiele realized.

She clutched at her heart.

**(I fail to see why you care for such a thing,)** Takai scoffed in disgust. **(when he fails to care for you. I say that you leave Sunagakure and become a missing-nin. )**

_"Takai, that would make me no better than my parents. They were missing-nin, and then what hope would I have of saving Gaara?"_

**(Simple. Don't save him. He doesn't want your sympathy. What would he say if he knew that it hurt you more than any blade to leave him, that your apologizes were sincere, that you are weak? Or, that even though he tried to kill you, you still **love **Gaara?)**

Kiele tightened her grasp on her chest. The demon knew her better than she gave her credit for.

**(Ahahaha... see? You are speachless. You aren't running from Sabaku no Gaara. You are desperately fleeing from yourself, as you regret leaving him behind. Now, you see and fear the error of your ways, Kiele. You can't fix what you've done, you can only sit back now and watch the concequences of your actions.)**

_"I... know this... and for that, I hate myself... but you're wrong.I _can_ fix what I've done."_

**(Hn. Stupid child. You are quite the negotiator, I grant you that... but next to Gaara, your attempts look sick.)** Takai paused, then dared press on.

**(You love Gaara, I can feel it in your very soul. You suffer because you know that he could care less if he knew you were dead out in the middle of the desert-)**

"Shut **up**!" Kiele shrieked aloud, grasping her head.

Kankurou looked down at her.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

Kiele realized that she had said that aloud, and stared down at Gaara, ignoring Kankurou.

_"Look at him. That baka... he has more issues than me. He hates everyone. He thinks everyone is against him. But there's one person who-"_ She stopped herself in mid-thought.

_"No! I don't love him! I _hate _him! I _**hate** _Sabaku no Gaara with a flaming undying passion!"_

But the little voice in the back of Kiele's head laughed at her, and told her to keep telling herself that, but that deep down she knew the truth, and that everything the demon had said was all true.

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I'll finish the rest of the Gaara vs. Lee battle next time. Well, I hope you guys like this one! Till next time, ciao!


	5. Lies Clarified and Gaara's Forgiveness

_**Title of Chapter**_

Ahahahaha! I made a promise not to let my next chapter to go over a week... and I have suceeded just in time! Bawahahaha!...coughs... So. Do I get a cookie? '

**_Disclaimer:_** I said it once in the first story and I'll say it again now. I don't own Naruto.

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Kiele bit her bottom lip.

"Lee is finished. This fight will soon be over."

Kankurou nodded in agreement. Kiele watched as a wave of sand crashed down on a horrfied Lee, who put his arms up in vain defense. The sand threw him backwards. He sat up and turned around to face Gaara, unable to stand. Gaara's insane smile remained plastered on his face, and he lifted his hands again, creating a huge sand waterfall, ready to crush the taijutsu user the moment Gaara told it so.

"Run!" Naruto yelled, leaning over the railing.

The waterfall came down on Lee, who was unable to gather the strength to run. It tossed the ninja around as if he were a ragdoll in a sea of sand, Gaara smirking all the while. The sand tossed Lee into a wall, stone flaking off of it. Lee looked up, raising his arms in a third useless defense as the sand pinned him to the wall. Debris from the impact flew around the stadium, Gaara grinning into the chaos he had created.

"The kid will barely be able to move now," Kankurou commented, his tone sullen.

"Gaara has begun to play with him."

On the stadium floor, Gaara licked his lips, his lust for blood evident. The debris cleared, and a large crater was formed in the stadium wall. Lee knelt there, with palms outstretched, and his brething ragged and heavy. He noticed the sand attempt to assult him once more, and lunged out of the way in a roll, his back to Gaara. He jumped backwards as the assult continued, then knelt down, out of breath. He stood up, placing his arms criss-crossed in front him as his sole defense. Sand swished around Gaara's body, then twisted its way to Lee. The impact made Lee cry out in pain as the sand crushed his arm. The sand let up on the pain, and Lee took his chance, and ran. The sand chased him, lashing out about him. Kankurou's grasp on the railing tightened.

"At this rate, Gaara will toy with him until he kills him."

Naruto stared at Kankurou, then down at his fellow Konohagakure shinobi.

"Fuzzy eyebrows..."

Before Lee could brace himself, he was ambushed by sand, which blew him completely off balance and onto his face. Lee slowly got to his feet, only for the sand to form into a giant hand-like shape, which slammed into Lee, knocking him to the ground once more. Gaara wasted no time in sending his weapon onto his opponent's back. Lee arched his back in pain. The attack subsided, and Lee stood again, his fists up. His eyes drooped, and his breathing was ragged. If he went on any longer, he would loose his life. He looked up at his sensei, who smiled proudly at him. With a sudden look of adrenaline, Lee evaded the oncoming sand in the same manner as before he had performed the Lotus technique.

"Amazing... his movements... are back to normal..." Kiele mused aloud.

She glanced around the room.

_"Wouldn't that be something if I could look at someone like that and suddenly have a rush of epinephrine..."_

Her gaze lingered on Gaara.

_"...But all I get is a sudden rush of mixed emotions. Hate, sadness, sympathy, guilt..."_

**(And love, strangely lost somewhere in the mass confusion that is your mind.)**

Kiele mouth twitched. In a bitter smile or frustrated frown, she didn't know.

**(Your thoughts are more complicated and twisted than mine ever were.)**

_"Thanks. I'll take that as a compliment, you damned rodent of a bird."_

**(You're most welcome to take it however you so desire, ningen. And I am **not **a rodent. I am a greacefully, powerful, elegant-)**

_"Shut up," _Kiele laughed mentally, happy to brush the antagonizing demon off.

Her attention turned back to Gaara's fight, her expression grim once more.

"This kid... Lee. He has yet to surrender." She watched Lee's expression. "He's cornered, and yet... he smiles. He has someone that smiles for him, and that is enough to keep him going... he knows he can't win against Gaara, but he goes headlong into battle anyways... I think I really like this kid."

"Yo-you're... Kiele, are you alright?" Kankurou inquired, lifting her from her place on the floor.

She turned around, leaning against the railing.

"I want Gaara-sama to win, but Lee... he's so determined..." She hesitated.

"Like me..."

"What?" Kankurou demanded.

"If I am ever paired up with Gaara, I won't give up either... I'd go all out against him... just like Lee."

Kankurou opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by Lee. It was as if he had been blasted with air, or chakra. His clothes and hair rippled violently.

"I don't know what you're trying to do," Gaara stated icily, "but you're going to be finished here."

"Yes," Lee agreed from inside the column of chakra the surounded his. "Either way, the next move will end everything."

Gaara flinched, as even he began to feel the wind of the attack.

"I cannot be the only one who loses here!" Lee yelled.

What appeared to be wind was in fact chakra, as his body began to emit visible blue-tinted chakra. Particles from the floor slowly flew up and around Lee. (**A/N**:Think super-saiyan, from DragonBall Z, for visualization purposes.) He thrust his arms down to his sides, and his skin became red. The veins of his temple became more emphasized.

"I must abide be and protect my way of the ninja!" Lee declared, the chakra forming a dome around his body.

"Third... Life Gate, open!"

The chakra dome formed a crater around Lee, and the wind emitting from it struck Gaara. He stared, his eyes wide in shock. Soon, particles were no longer being lifted. There were boulder-sized peices of concrete being lifted.

"What's happening to him?" Kankurou asked, leaning forward beside of Kiele.

"Now... fourth gate, Wound Gate... open!"

Lee jumped upwards at lightning speed, turning the ground in which he stood into little more than rubble. Gaara blinked and tensed, looking for him. Lee kicked Gaara from underneath his chin. Upon impact, the onlookers were forced to cover thier eyes, as dust and debris flew at them. When the scene cleared, Kiele gasped and Kankurou looked around.

"Gaara!" He called.

"Where did they go?"

"Kankurou, up there!" Kiele informed, pointing to the cieling. Gaara cringed in midair, far above the others. His armour cracked for the second time in the fight.

_"The armour will protect him, the armour will protect him..."_

**(Fuwahahaha! "The armour will protect him" indeed, ningen! Your concern for internal enemy, yet your one love is so cute, it's dusgusting!)**

_"Shut _up_ about it, Takai! I won't tell you again!"_

Takai faded into the back of her mind. Kiele looked up at Gaara, concerned.

_"The armour really will protect him, won't it?"_

All too late, the sand trailed after Gaara's figure, insistant to shield him, but unable to keep up.

_"Damn it," _Gaara swore to himself.

Lee ran up in front of Gaara, and punched him rapidly earthbound. Gaara fell down and Lee ran behind him, kicking him. This went on for some time, Lee punching and kicking the sand shinobi back and forth, like a game of ping pong.

_"The armour of sand... it's being penetrated!"_ Kiele thought frantically.

"Gaara!" She cried aloud, half hoping that her voice would reach him, half hoping for it not to.

As Gaara fell to the earth for a final time, Lee chased after him, ready to finish him off.

"Fourth Gate, Forest Gate... open!"

_"I can't gaurd this alone!" _Gaara thought bitterly.

He braced himself to be hit in the face, but Lee struck his abdomen. Lee grasped his bandages that he had warpped around Gaara, pulling him back up.

_"Most of his armour has been peel off, and the sand can't catch up... no, that can't happen!"_

Kiele recieved thoughts of seeing Gaara's motionless body hit the ground in front of her and turned away from the fight. She gazed at her feet.

_"I don't want Gaara, to die... I... I still have to bring back the old Gaara!"_

This firmly in mind, she turned back to the fight. Lee thrust his palm into Gaara's stomache.

"Primary Lotus!"

Once, again, debris scattered, forcing everyone to cover their eyes. When the dust cleared, Kiele saw Gaara's gourd turn into sand. She relazed, then looked over at Lee.

_"But... what will happen to him?"_

The two hit the earth. Lee rolled from the dust cloud, his eyes closed and his body motionless.

_"Is...is he...?"_

The dust cloud subsided, and Gaara laid there, sand breaking his fall. His hand slowly lifted towards Lee as he sat up, clearly in pain. His sand snaked its way to Lee's figure. Kiele brought a hand to her mouth.

_"No... Gaara, no! DON'T!"_

Lee noticed, and crawled in the opposite direction as quickly as his manged body would allow him.

"No...no, no, no, no!" Kiele grasped the railing, shaking it voilently.

**(You should have known better than to begin to take both sides, baka.)**

_"How many times do I have to tell you to _**get the hell out of my mind**_!" _Kiele shrieked to herself, watching Lee struggling to get away.

She had found someone to compare herself to... personality wise. Both wanted to be respected, and wanted to prove thier way of the ninja. And they were willing to use double-edged moves to do so. Lee couldn't escape quickly enough, and Gaara's sand grasped ahold of Lee's left leg, and then his left arm. He struggled against the sand, but to no avail.

"Subaku Soso!" Gaara hissed, sqeezing his fist shut.

Kiele turned away and covered her ears, but that couldn't shut out Lee's agonized screams. She dropped to her knees. She hated when Gaara used that move. This time was worse than normal, however, as she easily pictured herself in Lee's position.

"K-Kiele!" Kankurou called, kneeling down beside her.

Kiele ignored him, and remained the same. On the stadium floor, Lee dropped to the ground, apparently out cold. A wave of sand towered over Lee.

"Die!" Gaara hissed, a murderous intent consuming his complextion.

The sand nearly crashed down on Lee, only to be brushed aside by Lee's mentor Guy.

"Kiele... Kiele, it's alright to look now. It's over. Gaara's fine, and so is that kid. I think he's just out," Kankurou stated, placing his hand her shoulder.

Kiele heard Kankurou's reassuring voice, then quickly turned around and peered at the scene through the bars.

Guy stood there protectively in front of his student, while Gaara looked completely taken aback. He appeared shocked, confused, and angered by the interference. He grasped his head.

"Why...?" Gaara questioned, pain in his voice. "Why did you help him?"

"Because," Guy replied.

"He's an important subordinate I love."

Gaara's jaw clentched and unclentched. He stood up, turning his back on the Jounin and his student, and the sand reforming into a gourd perched on his back. Kiele cringed.

_"An important subordinate he loves... of course. Gaara wouldn't understand those words..."_

**(And he never will. Gaara loves no one. He forgot how to love a long time ago, when his father issued his assassination, his uncle tried to kill him, and his only friend listened to the words of an idiot. Yondaime Kazekage. The worst mistake of your life. Tch, you'd have a better chance trying to teach **me **to love.)**

_"You're wrong, Takai. Gaara didn't forget how... he's just-"_

**(Just what, Kiele? Deprived of all emotion, with the exception of anger and pain? How can you even think that you can save his soul, when just minutes ago, you were cowering, imagining you in Lee's place? Thinking of Lee as a vauled fighter, when all Gaara wanted to do was kill him? You can't save him. I don't see where you get that absurd idea.)**

_"Just because you don't have faith in him, doesn't mean that I don't. So go away, and leave me and my ideals alone."_

**(I am only trying to help.)**

_"You're not. I fail to see how you get that stupid idea."_

**(Fine.)**

Kiele looked back at the stadium, and what she saw made her gape in sheer shock.

"Winner, Gaa-" Hayate froze.

Lee had stood up. Guy turned and stared at his student in awe. Blood seeped from Lee's left arm and leg. He trembled, barely able to stand. Guy grasped Lee's shoulders. He bgan mumbling to his students, until he lifted his head up. Guy was on the verge of tears.

"He was trying to fight... even though he was unconsious," Kiele affirmed.

"Lee..." Guy brought the unconsious form of the boy to him in an embrace.

"You are an excellent ninja already."

"Winner, Gaara," Hayate announced.

Gaara didn't even acknowledge his name being called. He stared at Lee in the arms of his mentor. His eyes narrowed, then he walked up towards towards Temari and Baki. Naruto jumped over the railing and ran towards Lee. Kiele noticed a moment of tension when Naruto passed Gaara. Even after Naruto had passed him, Gaara looked after the blonde.

Ater a while, Naruto shouted angrily after the medic-nin as they carried Lee away on a stretcher.

"What's fuzzy eyebrows supposed to do if he's told that! He said that a drop-out could defeat agenius through hard work! Can't something be done-?"

Before Naruto could say anything else, a silver-haired Jounin, apparently his sensei, covered his mouth and held him back by his shoulder.

"Calm down, Naruto."

Naruto broke free of his grasp.

"But... Kakashi-sensei... He wanted to fight Neji and Sasuke so badly..."

"This may be what caused this unfortunate event... in order to make his wishes come true, he used a self-damaging forbidden jutsu to try and win. This is the end result. He tried to abide by the unspoken promise he made with Neji, Sasuke, and you, Naruto. Therefore he tried to head to the stage so that he could fight. Remember that, Naruto."

Gaara watched Lee be taken away, the murderous intent still in his eyes. Sand swirled about him, then he reappeared inbetween Temari and Baki in a crouched position, his hands off to the side. Kakashi walked up behind Guy. Kiele caught bits and pieces of the conversation, like "preachy", "if I" and, "same". The man was apparently apologizing for something. He then said a little louder that he was in the way for the next match. The three returned to thier spots on the second level, and Hayate stepped forward.

"The eleventh and final match." (**A/N:** Remeber, since I added Kiele into the equation, there had to be an extra round of matches.) "Fighters, step up."

Kinuta Dosu and Akimichi Chouji were the last match, and they stepped forward.

"Now, eleventh match, begin."

"Fatty!" A blonde girl called from the second level.

Chouji's ear twitched.

"I'm going to finish this match quickly, then beat them to a pulp!"

"It doesn't look like he'd be much of a threat to anyone, now does he, Kiele?" Kankurou joked, elbowing Kiele as he knelt down beside of her.

Kiele didn't reply. Thoughts still ran through her mind of her and Gaara, and her being in Lee's position.

_"I wonder if Gaara really would kill me..."_

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**_"I _**am **_horrid, baka! I am Shukaku! What I said six years ago means nothing to me!"_**

_**"Then kill me now."**_

_**"Fine!" Gaara snarled. **_

_**His sand wrapped around Kiele's right arm, and her eyes widened.**_

_**"Subaku Soso!"**_

_**Kiele screamed in agony as her arm was crushed by the sand. The sand only tightened.**_

_**"I told you to leave! There is nothing more between us than that of hate!"**_

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_"I guess... only time will be able to tell."_

"I'll finish this match without fooling around... Mr. Fatty," Dosu mocked, grinning underneath his bandage mask.

"Are you talking to me, you bandaged imp?" Chouji demanded.

"Ninpou Baika no Jutsu!"

Chouji expanded, then tucked in his arms, legs and head. He hurled himself towards Dosu, like a human boulder. Dosu easily avioded the attack, jumping sideways, eventually luring Chouji into running into a wall.

"You're not able to move, now," Dosu claimed.

He punched Chouji, then flicked his amplifier on his arm. Chouji flew from his hole in the wall, crashing on the ground, dazed.

"Winner, Kinuta Dosu," Hayate announced.

_"That... was about humiliating..."_

**(Just be glad you're not that pathetic.)**

_"I am. Actually, I think that was the first thing we've ever agreed on, Takai."_

Takai's hollow laugh resounded in Kiele's mind.

**(That it is, I believe.)**

"That concludes the Third Exam's preliminary matches."

Chouji was cleared from the floor, and the winners of the preliminaries gathered in the middle of the floor.

"We will now begin the explanation for the main matches," The Hokage explained.

"Your main match fights will be shown in front of everyone. We wish for all of you to show off your own abilities as well as your country's representative power. Therefore, the main matches will begin in one month."

"What?" Naruto asked, shocked.

"We're not going to do them right here, right now?"

"The one month is a time to conduct appropriate preperations. We have to inform the lords and the Kages that preliminaries have ended, and that month is to gather the people appointed to watch the main matches. This, also, is time that you as canidates can use to gather information, train and such. This is a time as well to to organize the information that you have collected on your opponents during the course of the preliminary matches. These battles were in the manner of mock battles. It has been done as one knew nothing or little of another. But the main matches will not be this way. There are those who have revealed everything to their rivals."

Kiele felt slightly glad that she didn't reveal everything in her fight with the Hyuuga Neji guy, but she still felt that she needed to create a new technique, a finisher move... in the case in which she had to fight Gaara.

"To make things even, train yourselves on your own in the next month to improve your skill," Hokage continued.

"I'd like to let you all go, however, there is something important that I must do before the main matches."

"What is it?" Naruto demanded.

"I need to leave and train!"

"Don't be in such a haste," Hokage scolded Naruto.

"Take a piece of parchment from the box that Anko is holding."

"I'll walk, so take it in turns," Anko replied, walking up to Dosu, who was the first in the line.

"Take just one. You can open it when you get it, if you want."

Kiele reached her hand into the box. She pulled out a single piece of paper, folded into quarters.

**(What is it? Open it! Open it! Now!)**

The demon didn't have to tell the ever-so-curious Kiele twice. Kiele quickly unfolded tha paper, and was disapointed by what was on it. A single digit number.

**5**.

_"Five!" _Kiele questioned herself. _"Five what? Is this the order we're determined to fight in?"_

"Okay. Does everyone got one?" The first examiner, Morino Ibiki, asked.

"Then, announce which number you have, starting from the left."

"Eight," Dosu announced.

"One," Naruto explained.

"Seven," Temari stated.

"Two," Kankurou replied.

"Five," Kiele called.

"Three," Gaara responded.

"Nine," A bored boy stated in a tone that didn't really express his enthusiasim to be there.

"Six," A boy with shades replied from his trench coat.

"So he must be four," Hokage figured from process of elimination.

"In that case, we will now announce the match-ups for the tournament."

Kiele sighed.

_"Well, I was close... since Gaara's three, and I'm five, so... let's see...I'll fight the creepy guy in the shades."_

"Ibiki, show the match-ups."

"Sir."

Ibiki flipped over the clipboard in his hands, showing the genin canidates. It was written in tournament form. (**A/N**: I've mixed up the final match-ups here a little, because after all, I did kick Neji out, and this is my fanfiction, so I'm free to do as I please! Fuwahaha! cough I've written the match-ups below in tournament form, that is, the best that I could.)

Uzumaki Naruto Sharne Kiele Gaara Uchiha Sasuke Kankurou Aburame Shino Temari

Kinuta Dosu Nara Shikamaru

_"Uzumaki Naruto, huh?"_

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"**_Well, if I ever come face to face against you, I won't lose, demon or not! No sandstorm will be able to blow me away!"_**

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Naruto seemed to realize that he was being watched. He glanced over at Kiele, and the two's gazes locked momentarily.

_"We'll see soon enough if what you said is true, Uzumaki Naruto."_

"Hey, I have a question," The bored kid announced, raising his hand.

"If this is a tournament, then there's only one winner, right? Does that mean only one canidate can become a Chuunin?"

"Not, that's not at all how it is," Hokage replied.

"These matches have jusges, such as me, Kazekage, feudal lords, and important head ninja from other countries. You will be graded by these judges by watching you all in the tournament. Those who are qualified to become Chuunin, even if they lose the first round, will become a Chuunin."

"You mean to say that one could lose on the first round, and someone else could win every round, and the one that lost on the first round could become a Chuunin, and the other could fail?" Kiele asked, awestruck.

The Hokage nodded.

"That is correct."

"And there's a possibility that everyone here can become a Chuunin?" Temari inquired.

"Yes, but this also means that there a possibility that no one will become a Chuunin," Hokage added.

"Winning the matches means that you are able to show off your skills more. If that is all, we a re adjourned until next month."

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"You want me to forefeit my match with Naruto?" Kiele demanded.

Gaara walked down the hall, rolling his eyes at the girl's outburst.

"If I had been paired up with Gaara, I wouldn't forefeit the match! Kankurou, just what makes you think that I'd-"

At the mention of his name, Gaara stayed in the hall, and peered around the corner to see Kankurou and Kiele arguing.

"Kiele, shhh!" Kankurou insisted.

"Kankurou, why do you want me to forefeit?"

"I plan on forefeiting my match with that bug-user Shino. I don't want to reveal my techniques. To anyone watching. I don't want it to come back to haunt me when we attack Konohagakure."

"..."

"So, will you forefeit, and keep the rest of your abilities a secret?"

"...I'm sorry Kankurou, but I refuse to quit-"

"Sheesh, you women are hopeles!" Kankurou shouted, rolling his eyes.

He pushed back his headpeice. It fell to the floor, and he ran his hand through his hair.

"No, us women aren't "hopeles"," Temari snapped from the couch.

"We just have a little more dignity, apparently, than you, Kankurou."

"Thank you, Temari," Kiele sighed.

"I don't want to look weak."

"Would you rather look weak, and keep your abilities a secret, or look strong, put up all of your abilities on display, then have the shinobi of Konohagakure blow you away, having seen your moves?"

Kiele and Temari groaned in unison.

"Fine," Kiele responded bluntly, raising her hands in defense.

"How about this: Temari and I will fight, you give up if you want, but we will fight our matches, but if it gets out of hand and we see that we're out of our league, we'll give up, without showing our signature moves. I won't use mine, and she won't use hers."

"I can live with that," Temari stated.

Kankurou picked up his headpeice and tossed it onto the couch.

"Fine. Whatever. Just remember that."

"So, are we free to go yet?" Temari droaned.

"Yeah, you are," Kankurou replied to his sister, turning his gaze on Kiele.

"But I want to talk to Kiele. About Gaara, and what happened to her during his match against the bobbed-haired kid."

Gaara tensed as he continued to listen in on the conversation, hearing his name mentioned again. He watched Kiele from around the corner of the hall. Temari's eyes widened.

"What happened to her during Gaara's fight?"

"Nothing," Kiele replied quickly, heading for the door.

Kankurou grasped her shoulder, pulling her back.

"Kiele. I knew that Gaara's Subaku Soso made you uneasy, but that was different. What was that all about?"

"What happened to her?" Temari repeated impatiently.

"Kiele fell to her knees and grasped her head. She usually would just put up with it, like she did in the second exam. But this time... she acted as if she felt the same pain that the bobbed-haired kid did," Kankurou responded, much to Kiele's distaste.

"I didn't feel his pain," Kiele snapped, annoyed.

"I had a moment of weakness. Now just drop it, Kankurou."

That wasn't a lie. In a way, she did have moment of weakness, since she got a vision of her being in Lee's place, and Gaara crushing her. She didn't want that to happen, because she wanted to see the kind side Gaara again.

"A moment of weakness, huh?" Kankurou stated dully.

His tone gave a hint that he didn't believe her at all.

"Kankurou! Why do you care anyways?" Kiele demanded, frustrated.

"Kiele... I really don't think that you should watch Gaara's match against Sasuke. Or any of his upcoming matches, for that matter," Kankurou suggested.

"What?" Kiele shouted, her voice louder than ever.

"Why not? I can handle a little blood and gore!"

Temari stared at the two. Kankurou shook his head.

"I worry about your condition. During Gaara's match, you nearly passed out, you were so scared. I really don't think you should watch Gaara's matches, for this reason."

"You make it sound as if I'm sick," Kiele hissed.

"I'm not sick, Kankurou. And I did **not** almost pass out. Foremost, I was **not** scared!"

"You fell to your knees, closed your eyes, and covered your eyes, so you didn't have to hear the kid's screams when Gaara used Subaku Soso on him! You can't possibly tell me that isn't being scared."

Gaara reached up and grasped his arms.

"I don't think you understand," Kiele began through gritted teeth. "I live every day of my life with a demon residing in me. Always will. At age three and a half, I realized that my birth parents despised me, and wanted me dead. I was life-sentenced to serve under all of the Kazekages until the day I die. I had only one friend. Yondaime Kazekage turned around and ordered me to stay away from that only friend. I couldn't ignore that order, as I live for the Kazekage. So, even though it slowly tore me apart, I was loyal to his wishes. Then, when I realized that I should have **never** listened to him, it was too late, and that "friend" no longer considered me a friend. So now, I'm alone, and so is he, with no one to keep either of us company but the demon sealed inside of us at birth. Since this so far as failed to drive me into insanity, I think a little death match between my old friend and some Uchiha kid I can handle."

With that said, Kiele stormed angrily from the house, wandering the streets of Konohagakure.

"Only one friend..." Kankurou repeated, turning to Temari.

"Didn't she mean Gaara?"

Gaara's grasp on his arms tightened considerably.

_"So... it's true. My father did tell her to stay away from me... I thought she was lying, making up an excuse just to get by me..."_

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"What are you doing here?" Naruto demanded, dropping his chopsticks on the table.

"Oh? And aren't I allowed to come to a ramen shop for a bowl of ramen?" Kiele protested, taking a vaccant seat next to Naruto.

Naruto grumbled, then picked his chopsticks up, turning his attention back ti his bowl. He slurped on his ramen while Kiele ordered a bowl of miso ramen. Naruto eyed her ramen, then grinned.

"Hey! That's the same kind of ramen that I always order!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Oh, well I guess it is," Kiele mused aloud, comparing both bowls of ramen.

"I suppose... we have a lot more in common with one another than we would expect at first glance."

"Yeah! I was just thinking the same thing!"

Kiele ate her ramen without much noise, while Naruto made the most vulgar noise possible with ramen and the broth. Kiele mentally laughed at the comical thought.

_"Indeed, we are much alike, Uzumaki Naruto, but yet, completely different in the same."_

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"So... why are you out this late?" Naruto asked.

"To get away," Kiele replied bluntly.

The two had finished thier ramen, and Naruto had offered to give Kiele a detailed tour of Konoha... or, more like, insisted.

"Oh... well, that's the academy! That's where I graduated to become a shinobi!"

"How interesting."

"You bet! And over there... is where the Hokage's office is! One day, I'm going to be threre in place of that old man!"

Kiele almost smiled. This suprised herself. She hadn't smiled in years, and now some obnoxious boy that she'd only known for a day was getting her to feel warm-hearted once more?

"What do you plan on gaining by becoming Hokage?" Kiele asked.

"When I become Hokage, everyone will have to stop disrespecting me and look up to me, like a hero! Everyone won't have hate in thier eyes when they look at me anymore, they'll see me as someone important!"

Kiele froze as what Naruto said caught her attention.

"Why do people look at you with hate in thier eyes, Naruto?"

Naruto halted. He looked down at the earth.

"Well... you have a demon inside of you, so you'd understand... just as long as you promise not to tell anyone."

"No, I won't breathe a word of anything you say," Kiele replied quickly.

Naruto looked up into her eyes, and Kiele felt a sudden connection with this boy.

"Well... twelve years ago, a fox demon, the Kyuubi, attacked the village, and the fourth Hokage had to seal the demon inside of a human body. That kid... is me. I have the nine tailed fox sealed inside of me, and people that know that, they hate me too..."

Naruto paused. His depressed demeanor switched into one of confidence, as he balled his hand into a fist.

"But if I become Hokage, everyone will respect me! I won't be the same kid who used to pull pranks anymore, cause when that day comes, I'm going to be the best of all ninjas! A ninja legend! And that's why... why no matter what, when you and I fight in a month... I won't hold anything back on you! I won't lose!"

Kiele smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that. I don't want you to hold anything back on me, Naruto. In return..."

Kiele froze again. She remembered her promise to Kankurou, about not revealing her best jutsus. Then cold truth struck her.

_"We're attacking Konoha... what if Naruto gets killed in the process? Arghh... Damn it, Kiele! Pick your battles, already!"_

"You won't hold back on me, will you?" Naruto asked.

Kiele remianed silent. She never was a very good liar, and she didn't like lying, either.

"Uhh... sure, Naruto. Listen Naruto, I'd better get back to my teamates before they come out looking for me. Gaara out on the streets isn't a pretty sight."

Naruto shuddered. He apparently bought her excuse as he picture Gaara and his sand loose on Konoha.

"Alright, but we'll get to talk some more later on, right? I mean, before the main matches?"

Kiele blinked.

_"He... actually _enjoys_ my company?"_

Kiele allowed a slight half smile to grace her lips.

"Sure, why not. We'll see each other later, okay?"

She waved, not waiting for an answer from Naruto before heading back to the place where the sand siblings were temporarily housed. As she walked into the house, she noticed that the sand siblings were apparently in bed, asleep- that is, except for Gaara, who was most likely on the roof. Kiele quietly jumped onto the roof, looking cautiously around for any sign of Gaara. If he was up here, then she didn't want to be. With no sign of the beholder of Shukaku, she sat down and stared up at the quarter moon, almost immeadiately entranced by its light.

"Kiele."

Hearing her name, she jumped. She could have swore she felt her heart stop beating for a moment. Kiele slowly turned to the speaker and her heart skipped a beat. Standing there with his arms crossed, was who she was avioding most. Gaara. She found herself locking eyes with him, unable to break the connection between them. After a while, Gaara spoke.

"I thought you lied."

"Lied?" Kiele whispered, afraid to get a tone louder than his.

"When?"

"When you told me that the Kazekage forbade you to speak to me."

Kiele's heart, for the third time in ten minutes, hesitated its regular beating.

"Yo-you were listening earlier, when I was talking to Kankurou?"

Gaara didn't respond, but his eyes were answer enough for her. Kiele swallowed. Gaara's hands grasped his arms tightly.

"Everything you said... your apologizes, your worried expression when I left on a mission... it wasn't a lie."

Gaara seemed to have a hard time taking in the fact that there was someone alive that genuinely cared for him. Kiele saw this, and didn't push the matter any further.

"Tell me. If the Kazekage had never told you to keep away from me, would you have stayed with me?"

Kiele felt her face begin to burn from being put on the spot. One false answer, and he'd kill her instantly without a second thought.

"Y-yes... I would have..."

Everything was quiet for a long while, until Gaara pressured the subject again.

"And if the Kazekage were gone, would count his order as void, and come back to me?"

Kiele felt her heart rise into her throat.

"W-well... t-that all depends..."

"Depends on what?" Gaara demanded.

"I-it depends... on whether or not, you'd be willing to forgive me, and take me back. I can't return to you as your friend if you don't accept me and my unworthy apology."

Gaara came and sat down beside of Kiele. She felt her heart sink back to its original place in her chest. On the outside, she appeared emotionless, but she smiled on the inside. Gaara and Kiele didn't exchange another single word that night. They didn't need to. Kiele had Gaara sitting next to her, of his own free will, and that was enough for her to know that he had at last forgiven her.

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sniffles Touchy ending! dabs eyes with tissue Ah, these are finally the chapters that I'm really going to enjoy writing, where Kiele isn't so scared of him anymore, and Gaara and stops acting so hostile towards her! Yay! But shame on you if you think that he's lost his killer instict that quickly! If there's any speeling/grammar errors, please tell me! I should have Shikamaru story out tomorrow or the day after, so if you're a reader of those, watch them! Thanks for reading!


	6. Flower's Language and No More Betrayal

_**Flower's Language and No More Betrayal**_

Bwahahaha! I got this one out earlier than normal! W00t! Aren't you all just so thrilled? XD I'm kidding... but I did get this one out early! throws confetti into the air Here's chapter 6! Enjoy!

**_Disclaimer:_** No Naruto ownage here. If I did, don't you think my little OC character would have appeared in the anime/manga series?

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"Morning, Sleeping Beauty. I was begining to think that you'd died in your sleep or something."

Kankurou snickered as Kiele came from down the stairs.

"I'm insomniac, remember? I **don't** sleep," She retorted, strideing into the kitchen.

She scrunched her nose in disgust as a vulgar stench reached her senses.

"Uh... Temari-chan? No offense but... What the hell is that?"

Kiele pointed to the yellowish-green mass that was in Temari's frying pan. Temari frowned at her as she flipped the blob with her spatula.

"It's eggs. The green came from the green onion that I put in with the eggs. I'm trying to experiment a little with my cooking-"

"Experimenting?" Kiele asked, baffled.

She glared down at the green tinted eggs.

"That sounds quite... cruel, Temari..."

"What the hell!" Kankurou insulted from behind Kiele.

He had come in to see the concoction the his elder sister had brewed today, and couldn't restrain himself when he saw the eggs. He shook his head and quickly left when he noticed the death glare that Temari was giving him.

"Don't bother giving me anything this morning, Temari. I never really did like green eggs and ham," He called behind him as he left.

Temari grumbled, then gave the spatula over to Kiele.

"I give up. He won't eat anything I cook, you try to feed his bickering face."

Kiele snickered, then tossed the eggs into the trash. Temari folded her arms and watched the young shinobi cook.

"For starters, Temari, don't experiment. Most of the time, it comes out deadly. If I tried to feed that to your father, do you know what he'd do to me?"

Temari pursed her lips.

"I was never taught..."

"I know. I'm not insulting you, Temari. I can cook alright, speaking that I've been doing it since I was four. A good breakfast recipe with eggs is Tamagoyaki."

Kiele opened the egg carton and cracked four eggs in a bowl. She began to beat them, and smiled at Temari.

"Alright... now add two teasppons of soy sauce, two teaspoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons dashi stock, and then 1/4 cup of green onion."

Temari gathered the ingredients and did as she was asked. Kiele asked her to mix the ingredients while she added vegtable oil to the frying pan. She quickly scribbled down the rest of the directions on a small scroll, then gave it to Temari, patting her on the back.

"I have errands to run, so you finish this. Do **exactly** as the recipe calls for, and no "experimenting", m'kay?"

Temari nodded, and Kiele stepped outside of the house. She jumped onto the roof, where she had left Gaara earlier. Not suprisingly, he was gone. Kiele sighed. She should have known better than to leave his side and seriously expect him to stay there.

"What do you want?" Gaara's harsh voice came from behind Kiele.

Kiele turned and faced him.

"You're not eating today, are you?"

Gaara was silent. Kiele brushed her bangs from her face.

"I didn't think you would be. But if it's her cooking your scared of, it should be alright today. I gave her a recipe to follow by, and if she does it correctly, it should turn out tasting alright- "

"Are you eating?" Gaara interrupted.

Kiele shook her head.

"No, but I have some things that I need to get done, so I'll be gone gone for most of the day."

Gaara turned and walked to the edge of the roof.

"We should train together later on," Kiele suggested.

Gaara stopped.

"I don't have any need to train. It's you and the other two that need the improvement."

"That's not all true," Kiele protested, immeadiately regretting opening her mouth as Gaara turned and glared at her.

She swallowed the remainder of her pride, then spoke.

"Well... what I meant was, you had trouble with that Lee guy. The armour of sand was nearly penetrated-"

"Nothing drastic," Gaara snapped in his defense.

"So the armour was cracked. It means nothing. If I get pressured, then I will kill Uchiha Sasuke. Besides, my well-being is none of your concern."

That being said, Gaara jumped from the roof, then walked inside. Kiele shut her eyes.

_"I know better, Gaara. It is true you have few weaknesses, but the fight yesterday between you and Lee only verified this overlooked fact."_

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Kiele walked into the flowershop, her hands shoved in her pockets. She never really did like the femine plant, as they served no direct purpose, only for thier appearance. They were just **there**. However, she had learned that flowers had meanings. Like violets meaining modesty, anemones meaning forsaken, and daisies signifying innocence. Kiele had recgonized and admired Lee's determination to prove his way of the ninja despite the fact that he was out of his league against Gaara. She pondered through the store, browing the flowers for one that would fit Lee and his actions. Roses caught her eye, and she picked up a bergandy one.

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**_"Temari-o-neesan?" Kiele asked in her high pitched childish voice._**

_**"What are these?"**_

_**"Oh, those?" Temari gestured to the varied tulip flowers.**_

_**"Those are roses, they're a type of flower."**_

_**"Oh, flowers," Kiele droaned, suddenly uninterested.**_

_**"I thought that they were herbs or something... flowers are stupid and useless."**_

_**Kankurou, who was sitting nearby on a wooden swing, busted up laughing. Temari glared at him. Gaara tilted his head to the side, like a confused puppy dog.**_

_**"Flowers aren't stupid! They have meaning, you know!" Temari protested in the flower's defense.**_

_**"Meanings? Like what?" Kiele inquired.**_

_**Temari ran her fingers across a picture of a white rose.**_

_**"For example... these white roses symbolize "unity", while the multiflora ones mean "grace". Understand?"**_

_**Kiele smiled and flipped to the page of a bergandy rose, then ran over to her best friend, presenting him with it.**_

_**"Here, Gaara!" Kiele squealed excitedly.**_

_**"Ummm... Kiele-imooto... burgandy roses mean "unconsious beauty"..." Temari added quietly, supressing laughter.**_

_**Gaara's face radiaded as he looked up at Kiele. Kiele's face was even reder as Kankurou howled with laughter.**_

_**"Yes! Of course! I knew that!" Kiele announced as she thrust the book into Gaara's hands.**_

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Kiele placed the rose back into its plastic wrap, frowning.

_"I highly doubt that he even remembers that anymore..."_

She found a white periwinkle, and bought it. Temari had told her that they meant "pleasures of memory". Kiele bought it for herself and also a lotus for Lee, then headed out to the hospital.

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She walked into Lee's room, just as a pink haired girl walked out. The shinobi was sleeping peacfully at the moment. There was a vase at Lee's bedside, with a daffodil in it. Kiele smiled.

_"Hope. The pink haired girl hopes that he can get out soon..."_

Kiele placed the lotus in the vase, then turned to leave.

"Who... who are you?"

Kiele turned back around and saw Lee, his eyes slightly opened.

"I'm Kiele. I saw your fight with Gaara-sama... I was impressed, so I decided to pay you a visit," Kiele replied.

Lee glanced over and saw the two flowers in the vase.

"Who... brought those?"

"The daffodil, I don't know thier name. The lotus, however, was brought by me."

Lee looked stunned.

"But... I don't know you. Why did you bring me a lotus?"

"The lotus blooms twice in Konoha, right?"

Lee looked shocked.

"I think I understand your situation. You want to prove your way of the shinobi to everyone. You remind me of a lotus."

She turned to leave, and as she stood in the doorway, she added,

"...And in my opinion, you've bloomed for the first time. I'll expect that the next time you bloom, you'll be more magnificent."

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"Where were you?" Kankurou asked, sounding trying to sound unconcerned.

"Out," Kiele replied bluntly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She walked upstairs, the burgandy rose hidden in the sash across her chest. When she reached her temporary room, she pulled it out. Kiele opened the top dresser drawer and pulled out a photo. It was her and Gaara, when they were children, with an annoyed Kankurou and Temari in the background. ignored the thorns that ripped her flesh, and twirled the rose between her fingers.

_**Kiele smiled and flipped to the page of a bergandy rose, then ran over to her best friend, presenting him with it.**_

_**"Here, Gaara!" Kiele squealed excitedly.**_

_**"Ummm... Kiele-imooto... burgandy roses mean "unconsious beauty"..." Temari added quietly, supressing laughter.**_

_"Maybe, his beauty is still unconsious..."_ Kiele thought sadly, staring unblinkingly at the flower in her hands.

"You sure have been isolating yourself since yesterday. Are you positive that nothing's wrong?"

Kiele quickly shoved the rose under her pillow, then glared up at the speaker leaning on the doorframe. If looks could kill, she'd be six feet under.

"I'm positive, Temari. You would've thought living with Gaara would teach you how to knock," Kiele snapped.

Temari put her hands up in her defense.

"Listen, I just want to say that I know Kankurou and I made you pissed yesterday, and I want to apologize."

Kiele cold expression softened at the tessenjutsu specailist's apology. Temari then became serious.

"But Kankurou and I are serious about watching Gaara's match. If he uses Sabaku Soso on that Uchiha Sasuke and you're watching, or even worse, unleashes "it"... Then I think you should sit back. There's no shame in-"

"I apreciate your concern, Temari, but I don't want it. I can handle anything you throw at me, even Gaara. I'm not afraid of him," Kiele lied, suddenly becoming extremely interested in her cuticles.

Temari signed. She knew Kiele was lying to try and get her to think she was fine when she wasn't. She knew because Kiele didn't look Temari in the eyes when she spoke. She always held eye contact, except when she was lying, of course. Kiele was a horrible liar, always had been.

"Fine. But what was that you were looking at when I came in?" Temari inquired.

"Nothing," Kiele quickly replied, still staring at her cuticles.

Kiele put a hand protectively on her pillow. Temari groaned. Another lie. Kiele wasn't looking at her.

"Why are you shutting yourself up like this, and trying to push everyone away?" Temari demanded suddenly.

Kiele was taken aback by the question. She hung her head.

_"Temari has a father, a loving brother... people that love her... She could never fully understand what I have gone through..."_

"What is it that your hiding?" Temari asked.

She stormed over to the young shinobi and pried her hand off of her pillow.

"Just leave me alone! You try to help me but your only in the way!" Kiele shouted, snatching her posessions and standing up to Temari.

Temari put a hand to her head.

"Just let me see what you have."

"And what if I say no?"

"Then... I'll call Kankurou."

Kiele snickered.

"Kankurou won't help you."

"Then I'll call Gaara."

"Gaara **definately** won't help you."

Temari pressed her index and middle fingers to her temple. She then turned on heel and left the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Fine! Be all alone for all I care! I don't see why you're making such a big deal over whatever it is anyways."

Kiele made sure that Temari was really gone, then pulled out the picture of her and Gaara. Kiele had one hand on Gaara's head, and the other dangling off of his right shoulder. Her head was perched happily on Gaara's, beside her arm, and she was smiling. Gaara looked slightly as if he was being harassed, but he, too, was smiling all the same. Kiele's ears perked when she noticed light filtering from the hallway. She growled, stuffing the picture and rose back into her sash, then turned around angrily.

"Don't you people know how to knock anymore-?"

She shut up when she saw who it was. Cold teal orbs met her emerald ones.

"What is it?" Gaara demanded.

Kiele shook her head and stared at Gaara's right hand. It balled dangerously into a fist, so she quickly stared at something else. **Her** hand.

"It's something. I heard Temari complaining about you hiding something for her."

"She... she's just being nosy. It's none of her bussiness."

"Tell me what you're hiding."

"Why does it matter? Why should you or anyone else care?" Kiele snapped.

She quickly brought her hand up to her mouth and bit down on it.

_"Damn it damn it damn it... Shut the hell up, Kiele!"_

Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously. Blood began to trickle down Kiele's hand.

"I want to know what you're hiding from me," Gaara stated.

Kiele's eye twitched in irritation, and she dropped her hand.

_"Nosy bastards..."_

"...Why?"

"Because," Gaara replied bluntly.

"I want to make sure you don't plan to turn on me again. If that's a letter from my father, then I want it. You're not keeping anymore secrets from me."

Kiele gritted her teeth, and she whipped out the picture, along with the rose. She flung the objects onto her untouched bed.

"There's "**your father's letter**"," Kiele responded scoffed.

Gaara stared at the picture, which landed on the bed with the picture face down, then glared up at Kiele.

"I made that mistake once. It won't happen again, Gaara. I promise."

She turned and jumped out of her window, strolling down the street. Gaara picked up the picture slowly, turning it around. Shock overwhelmed him when he saw the picture. His younger and more naive self smiled back at him, Kiele nearly tackling him. He glanced down at the rose, the picked it up in his hands. He wrapped his fist tightly around it, thorns seeping into his flesh.

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And there's the newest installment. Also... I start school soon, so I will have a harder time updating. If I don't get a chapter out in a weeks' time, please forgive me! Gomen nasai!


	7. Kiele's Promise and Naruto's Anger

_**Title of Chapter**_

The last chapter was somewhat of a mini-filler... but on with the Third Exam today! Finally!

**_Disclaimer:_** I own Naruto, I own it not. Seriously, no, I don't own own it.

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"Wake up," Kiele demanded, rapping on Temari's door with her knuckles.

She walked in, then flung the covers off of a sleeping figure. Temari opened one eye and glared at her human alarm clock.

"Get up, Temari."

Temari groaned, then brought the blankets back over her head.

"Five more minutes..." She begged in an aggravated yet very tired voice, muffled by the blankets.

"No, not in five minutes. Now," Kiele responded hotly.

Temari sighed, then slowly sat up. When Kiele left, Temari laid back down. Thinking that she was the brighter shinobi, she snuggled back into the abysmal that was her bed. A kunai flew and landed centimeters from Temari's face. She yelped. She sat up and glared at the konoichi in the doorway, ignoring the ripping noise.

"What the hell was that for?" Temari demanded, glaring daggers

"You wouldn't get up," Kiele answered bluntly.

"I was awake!"

"You laid back down. I knew you would."

Temari pouted, then threw the covers off of her body in defeat. Kiele left the room, and headed towards Kankurou's room. Temari glanced sleepily at her calendar and yawned. She froze in mid-yawn when she saw what day it was.

"THE CHUUNIN EXAMS AREN'T FOR ANOTHER WEEK! ARGHHHHH!"

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"Alright, now tell me again why we have to get up early a week from the exams?" Kankurou asked, scratching the back of his head. He didn't even bother with his head-piece.

"To train," Kiele answered.

"If we plan to win our Chuunin matches **and** defeat Konohagakure No Sato, we need to be at our best."

"That's right we need to be at our best," Temari replied hotly.

"And we're not going to do that if we're half asleep."

"Why do I have to get up?" Kankurou whined.

"I'm not even fighting! I'm forfeiting the match with bug-boy!"

Kiele rolled her eyes.

"Don't complain," She accused, pointing her new fan at the wobbly sand siblings.

"If I'm up at this hour, you can train too. You can never be too sure with these leaf ninja. We don't know completely about thier abilities, especially the Jounin here. Better safe than sorry."

"Look who's talking, miss flirting-with-leaf-ninja," Kankurou snorted, guestering to Kiele's fan.

Kiele glared. She had seen Naruto several times during the month break. He had been training with some "Jiraiya-sensei", but when he wasn't he was at the ramen shop. Kiele had talked to him. Naruto seemed enthused to see her, and suggested that she eat with him. She had obliged, and the two spent several hours daily together, while they talked and Naruto tried desperately to impress her with a toad summon, getting by with only a tadpole. Kiele found it humourous to se his failed attempts. She thought of thier get-togethers of nothing, until Naruto presented her with the red hand fan. It looked normal, but upon closer inspection, she soon found, was simailar to Temari's, and allowed her to preform wind-based jutsu more easily with a swift wave of it. Like Temari's giant fan, three blue "moons" appeared her fan after a degree of time, then allowed her to preform the Great Cutting Whirlwind Technique. She didn't know if Naruto knew that he had given her a weapon, or mistook it for an ordinary fan, but she didn't tell him. She did however, begin to spend more and more time with the leaf ninja, to the point of annoyance. Temari and Kankurou grew afraid that she would back out of the invasion on Konoha, or even worse, would hold back if pitted against him.

"I don't flirt. Especially with the enemy, Kankurou."

Kankurou tutted. He pointed to her fan.

"That's what I told myself everytime you went out with the kid. But then why do you carry that fan he gave you around now? It's like you've grown a soft spot for him-"

"She's grown a soft spot for whom?" Gaara demanded, emerging from the top of the roof.

Kankurou and Temari held thier tounge. They weren't angry enough with her to want to see Kiele drowning in sand. Gaara turned his icy stare to Kiele.

"Who have you grown a soft spot for?"

"No one," Kiele answered.

She forced herself to look Gaara in the eyes.

"I have no soft spots for anyone, especially not any leaf ninja. Naruto is no exeption."

She directed her last sentence towards Kankurou and Temari, shooting them a hateful look.

"Fine. If it's so much of a burden, then I'll go train by myself."

She folded her arms in front of her, then stalked off into the forest.

"She's been cold and hateful lately... not normal for her," Kankurou muttered.

Temari nodded in agreement.

"She's... usually too soft to be called a ninja, but since Gaara's match, she..."

Gaara's eyes narrowed. He reached up and ran his fingers along the edge of the picture in his sash. His next words shocked both of his siblings.

"She misses me."

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Kiele flicked her wrist lightly, spreading her fan open. The trees before her were severed apart like scissors and paper. She grimaced, putting her fan away in her sash. She made several hand signs, then spread her palms outwards. Sand filed around her, completely clearing the area of trees with its impact. Kiele frowned, then tutted.

_"It's no use training if I tear apart everything in my way so easily... I need an opponent..."_

**(...You may use me, child.)**

Kiele sputtered.

_"Yeah, right. Just summoning you nearly takes the wind out of me. Have you forgotten the fight with Neji so soon?"_

**(Not if I summon myself willingly.)**

Kiele considered the offer, until she realized what the bird was trying to pull.

_"Nice try, onna. If I summon you, what guarentee do I have that you'll come back to me, and won't kill everyone in the village?"_

**(I know how much you dislike it, but you'll have to trust me.)**

_"Pssht! Trust _you_? Not happening. I'd rather spar with Gaara than risk you killing off the entire population."_

**(Fine. Be like that then, but it's only you who will suffer when you face the blonde boy and will be unable to pull any new techniques against him.)**

Kiele gritted her teeth.

_"Fine, I'm ready for you. But you'd better come back when we're finished."_

**(Don't worry. I will.)**

Kiele made the seal of the bird, closing her eyes, then she felt herself become considerably weaker as Takai left her body. When she opened her eyes, a green, spiky haired female with golden eyes and huge talons stood before her. She smiled, revealing sharp teeth. Kiele glared.

"I molded myself into a human form," Takai explained.

"Now... shall we begin with a certain justu I like to call an extreme ace in the hole?"

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**(If this crowd was any louder, they'd deafen us,)** Takai complained.

Kiele ignored her, standing in the arena, the other Chuunin Exam candidates around her. All exept for Naruto, Sasuke, and Dosu. Although she knew what had become of Dosu.

"Takai... you don't think that he backed out on us, do you?" She asked her inner demon aloud.

**(I doubt it. You said so yourself, the boy has a nerve of steel. He's not afraid of a fight.)**

"But, a fight with someone he considers a friend..."

**(Oh? And don't you think of him as a friend?)**

Kiele remained silent. She didn't know the answer to that question. Kiele was aware of how out of character she had been acting towards the sand siblings the past month. Instead of finding refuge in Temari's comforting words, peace in Kankurou's ill humour, and fear in Gaara's eyes, everything was backwards. She knew that her words became more harsh and more hurtful, and she found herself in awe at times that she had actually spoke them. Gaara as well noticed her sudden change, and Kankurou questioned it several times, but always with the same answer.

"With change comes responsibility. Lately, I've been burdened with a new responsilbility, which calls for change."

Kankurou didn't understand her, but it was her way of saying that she realized that she loved Gaara and he hated her, without saying it straightforward. Naruto showed up late, and Kiele found herself wondering if she was relieved or devestated. Genma, the new proctor since Hayate was killed, explained that Dosu was no longer in the tournament, and that Sasuke still could not be found. In that case, he explained that Nara Shikamaru no longer had an extra match, and would instead be fighting Temari.

"Alright, now for the rules. I suggest that you understand when you have lost. Matches won't end until someone gives up or is killed. As proctor, I of course will stop a match if it seems hopeless of I see that someone cannot continue."

He glanced around, then proceeded.

"First match: Sharne Kiele versus Uzumaki Naruto. Everyone else, clear the arena."

Kiele stepped up, and Naruto stepped in front of her as the other candidates did as they were asked.

"When you're ready... begin."

Kiele wasted no time in whipping out her fan and jumping back, slicing the air with it. Naruto put his hands up in defense, but was thrown backwards onto his back from the force of the chakra controled whirlwind.

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**_"First, before we begin, promise me you won't hold back on Naruto," Takai demanded._**

_**"I promise. If I did, it's the same as me betraying Sunagakure," Kiele replied solemnly.**_

_**"Alright." Takai shifted into a fighting stance.**_

**_"Waste no time. Attack him immeadiately. Throw him off guard. He'll expect you to stand still and hear out whatever little speech he has planned. But if you assult him immeadiately, it will tell him that you are _**not**_ playing around with him."_**

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Kiele then spread her fan, watching Naruto stand to his feet.

"Don't stand there and take it when I come onto you, Naruto. Fight back."

"Fine! Just remember that you asked for it!" Naruto shouted.

He made a cross sign with his index and middle fingers.

"Kage Bushin No Jutsu!"

Kiele tucked her fan into her sash, her arm raised, forming a single seal. Naruto and his clones screamed battle cries as they ran recklessly towards her.

"Suna Tsuka."

Kiele's fan landed beside Naruto, and he stared in awe. Where Kiele once stood was now a pool of sand. Naruto looked back and forth, searching for her. Under the earth, Kiele waited for Naruto to move. Suddenly, she felt his pulse directly above her. She smirked.

_"Now!"_

She thrust her hand up, piercing the earth's surface. Naruto looked down, shocked. Kiele snatched his ankle before he had a chance to move, then pulled him under, so only his head was visible. She stood up, brushing the earth off of her body triumphantly. To her shock, Naruto vanished ina puff of smoke. She froze.

_"A replacement! Damn it! He fooled me!"_

She whipped around and saw five Narutos they all charged at her. She stomped her foot on the ground, making a series of seals.

"Chiisai Bushin Yamada."

The sand around her body rose and formed into fist-sized projectiles. They hurled themselves at Naruto, destroying the four clones and piercing the flesh of the real one. When the projectiles had dissipated, Naruto was cut in sereral areas, though none were vital. He didn't notice this, but the sand siblings did.

"What is she doing?" Kankurou hissed to his sister.

"She promised us to end this fight quickly, but she's just toying with him!"

"I'm sure she knows what she doing, Kankurou," Temari assured her younger brother.

"She always was quite the tactitian."

"Suna Futoiude!" Kiele called.

A giant arm of sand emerged from the ground. It chased Naruto, grabbing him in its clawed grasp. Naruto struggled, but to no avail. The hand flung Naruto against the northern stadium wall. He slouched down it, but scrambled when he noticed the hand ball itself into a fist and thrust itself at him, completely shattering the wall as he luged out of the wall.

"Man, and that could've been me..." Naruto mumbled, staring at thw wreckage.

He had no more time to gawk at the fist, as it turned on him once again. He looked over at Kiele, standing there with her arms folded arcoss her chest. She stared at him with cold eyes.

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**_"See? Ta da!" Naruto proudly thrust a small package into Kiele hands. _**

_**She stared at him, perplexed.**_

_**"What... is this for?" She asked, partially shocked.**_

_**Naruto laughed, folding his hands behind his head.**_

_**"Open it!"**_

_**Kiele slowly did, and her surprise only hieghtened.**_

_**"A... fan? Why? What for?"**_

_**"A gift! We're friends right?"**_

_**"But..." Kiele began, still confused at the sudden present.**_

_**"I didn't do anything."**_

_**"You don't have to. You got it because we're friends!" Naruto proclaimed.**_

_**"Friends... I'm sorry, Naruto."**_

_**Naruto stared at her.**_

_**"You're sorry? For what?"**_

_**"I don't have a gift for you, Naruto. If I'd have known that you'd be giving me a gift, then..."**_

_**Naruto grinned mischeviously.**_

_**"It's okay! You can make it up to me by buying me ramen tonight!"**_

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**_"Naruto... you said when we first met, that you'd defeat me if we ever faced against one another. But now, we're..."_**

_**Kiele nearly choked on the word.**_

_**"Friends. Do you intend to keep your word?"**_

_**Naruto dropped his chopsticks momentarily.**_

_**"Yeah I do! When we fight... it'll be different. But I won't hold back on you! And you better not hold back on me."**_

_**"Don't worry, Naruto... I won't. I have my way of the ninja to protect, so I can't. You just remember that you have yours when we face one another."**_

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Naruto glared at Kiele.

_"That's right! I have to become Hokage! I can't lose here, even if this is Kiele I have to face! If I have to beat her into the ground... then let's do it!"_

"It seems that you've finally realized that I'm not playing with you, Naruto. Good. Now fight me like you said you would," Kiele called.

The sand fist returned to her side, levitating beside her.

"Alright! Kage Bushin No Justu!"

**(How many times will he use that?)** Takai mused in Kiele's mind, watching the blonde charge at her with clones around him.

_"It doesn't matter,"_ Kiele replied to her demon, raising her fist, the sand fist going up with her.

_"I'll crush him all the same!"_

Kiele and her sand fist rush forward, the fist taking out several clones as it passed. Kiele unsheathed her fan and plunged it into Naruto's chest, convinced that this Naruto was the real one. He doubled over, clutching his wound. Clones vanished all around her, and eventually, the Naruto in front of her also grinned and vanished. Kiele stared in shock.

_"You were wrong, Takai?"_

**(Kuso!)**

"Hahaha! You fell for it, Kiele!"

Kiele spun and saw Naruto. He grinned broadly. She gritted her teeth. Naruto smirked, then clasped his hands together. His chakra increased rapidly, and Kiele took a step back.

_"Oh my god... His chakra... is reaching a tremendous level! Is this the Kyuubi's chakra?"_

**(I'm afraid so. You're finished if he's learned to control the demn within him. That is, if you plan to keep your promise to Kankurou and not use the full extent of your powers.)**

Kiele sneered.

**(You can use me, demon versus demon, or you can lose, It's your desicion.)**

_"As a matter of fact, it is. You remember that, Takai."_

"Alright!" Naruto cheered, standing up straight.

"Let's get serious, and fight for real!"

The orange chakra of the nine-tailed fox engulfed his body, and he ran forward. Kiele saw his advances and jumped up over Naruto's head, kicking him in the skull as she passed over him. Naruto whirrled around rapidly, then ran at her again. This continued, Naruto assulting, Kiele evading. She began to run out of phyical energy, and she knew it.

**(It's about time to end this, ningen.)**

_"I agree. This next jutsu... one way or another, will end everything."_

Kiele raised her hands and braced for Naruto attack as he charged, elbow first. She endured the blow, being shoved back several feet. She then made hand signs as Naruto skidded to a halt and ran at her again.

"Gokusamaiso."

While Naruto was mere feet from Kiele, he suddenly froze. He looked down to see his feet stuck into the earth, and quicksand around him. He was rapidly sinking into the pit.

"This is it, Naruto," Kiele informed him as the sand was now up to his knees.

"Whether you escape, or you sink... it's over."

Naruto quickly preformed Kage Bushin. The clones pulled and tugged at Naruto, trying to free him. Kiele stood and watched.

**(You should push them all in.)**

The demon laughed at her own cruel humour.

_"I should, but I won't."_

They finally pulled Naruto out, and soon all seven were charging at the konoichi. Kiele smiled sadly at her feet, then raised her hand.

"That's it for me. I'm done."

Naruto froze in shock. His chakra faded, as did his clones. He pointed an acusing finger at her.

"No way!" He shouted angrily.

Kiele stres down at her feet, only looking up to turn around and find the exit.

"You can't leave like this!" Naruto yelled, running up behind her.

"What happened to all that crap about not giving up and going easy on one another! I know this isn't your limits! That wasn't even a fight!"

Kiele ginored him, resting her hand on the cool surfae of the railing as she left to the stadium to watch the other matches.

"You promised!"

Kiele froze. Then she rusumed her composure, Naruto still yelling angrily after her.

_"Don't sweat it, Naruto... you're not the first one I've let down."_

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And that was chapter seven. The other two should follow suit soon. Ta-ta!


	8. And Into The Darkness

_**And into The Darkness**_

Alright, I know a that a lot of you may be upset about how I ended the last chapter and all, recalls dodging many a keyboard but just remember! Everything happens for a reason! You'll see what I mean later on in this chapter! Alrightly then, now read, my faithful lackies! Read! READ! **READ!** :)

**_Disclaimer:_** Copyright and characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, blah blah blah and all that drab... But the fanfiction is mine. Kiele is mine. Any other characters I make, are mine. The mind, is mine. Now that that's out of the way, you may proceed. 3

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"Thanks... a ton Kiele. You have no idea what the forfiet means to having our advantage."

Kiele crossed her arms aggitatedly as she passed the sand siblings. She glared at Kankurou when he spoke to her.

"Yes, actually, I know better than you think I do."

Temari frowned at her.

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to stay and watch the rest of the matches- ?"

Kiele paused, then shrugged. She leaned against the railing, shifting her wieght to her arms as she tilted forward.

"I haven't got anything better to do."

Temari nodded, then grinned. From down below, Kiele saw Naruto's cold, peircing blue stare. Kiele gazed at him unblinkingly, emotionless. She watched intently as the blonde finally moved to the upper level, steering himself as far from the sand shinobi as possible. Kiele shut her eyes.

_"I'm sorry, Naruto... but in order to keep an important promise, one of lesser value to me must be broken... I'd tell you, but you wouldn't begin to comprehend..."_

"Ladies and gentlemen," Genma announced, the hay in his mouth bobbing with each word he spoke,

"an examinee for the next match has not yet arrived. Therefore, the match will be postponed, and we will begin the next match."

There were several gasps, murmuring, and awed voices. Kiele arched an eyebrow. She glanced over at Gaara.

_"I wonder... did he already get to the Uchiha?"_

Gaara noticed her staring at him, and he returned her gaze. For once, hate didn't glaze over his eyes when he saw her. No blood lust. His teal orbs were void of all emotion. Kiele took notice of this rarity, then turned back to the stadium ground floor.

"Next match up, Kankurou and Aburame Shino."

Shino rested his palms on the railing. Kiele stared over at the puppeteer beside her. A hint of amusement was present on her otherwise devoid complextion.

"So. You're going to give up, just like that?" She teased.

Kankurou smirked. The amusement was wiped from Kiele's face.

"You... have no dignity whatsoever. And to think that I respected you not only as a person, but as a shinobi," She shot insultingly.

Kankurou shrugged.

"Naw, I just don't want the world to know of the Crow's technique. Not yet, anyway."

Kankurou glanced at Temari, who nodded. He gazed at Kiele, who shrugged and raised her hands, a silent guesture meaning, "hey, if you want to look stupid in front of all of Konohagakure, don't let me stand in your way".

"Examiner!" Kankurou called.

"I'm giving up!"

Shino tightened his grasp on the railing and glared at Kankurou through his shades.

"Go to the next match," Kankurou insisted.

Genma nodded.

"Kankurou has forfeited," He announced, chewing on his hay.

"Therefore Aburame Shino is victor by default."

The crowd jeered and booed, wanting to see a fight. Temari tutted, wipping out her fan. It conjured a small windstorm. She waved it in circles, coming unfolded in the process, then jumped upon her fan escort. She jumped from it, landing beside of Genma.

"You are?" He asked, unimpressed.

"It's my turn, right?" She inquired, folding her fan and propping it upright.

"In that case, we'll start the next match."

He glanced up at the second level.

"Hey! The other examinee, get down here. Nara Shikamaru, it's you."

Shikamaru stood frozen to the spot, until Naruto ran up behind him.

"Alright! Go get her, Shikamaru!"

Naruto slammed a hand on his back and thrust him forward so that he flipped entirely over the railing. He squalled on his way down, then landed on his back staring up at the sky.

"Sad, Kankurou-san," Kiele mocked him.

Kankurou titled his head, confused. Kiele snickered.

"Temari fights, risking her technique. But you... you're almost sad. I can't believe that you seriously gave up."

Kankurou only sighed in response. Kiele found herself amused when the crowd began throwing random objects at Shikamaru. A paper wad bounced off of his head, and yet he remained motionless. Banna peelings, crushed cans, apple cores, empty potato chip bags, and even a book lay scattered around the lazy kid.

"What's this?" Temari asked in mock humour.

"You're going to give up as well?"

Shikamaru finally showed some sign of life and shifted his head to glare up at Temari. He laid there a while longer, until Temari glared angrily at him.

"If you won't attck, then I will!"

Temari charged at Shikamaru, her fan brandished. Shikamaru took out a couple kunai, then Temari thrust her fan downwards towards his head. To Temari's shock, her fan rested in nothing but the earth. She turned around and saw Shikamaru. He was smirking cockily.

"I don't care if I can't become a Chuunin... but a man can't lose to a woman."

Temari threw a nasty glare his way, then spread her fan, waving it and kicking up a cloud of dust. When it cleared, two kunai were embeaded into the wall that Shikamaru had been standing in front of moments before. Temari turned and smirked at the tree behind her. She spread out her fan in front of her, like a shield. Eventually, Shikamaru stood up and came out of hiding. Kiele noticed the smirk on his face.

"The moment he underestimates Temari, is the moment he loses this match," Kiele droaned to no one in particular.

Temari seemed to recgonize his smirk as well as a sign of underestimation, and became enraged.

"Ninpou Kamaitachi!"

She whipped her fan again, hurling high speed winds a Shikamaru. He covered his face with his arms as dust was brewed up once again. From the clouds of dust, a black shadow sped towards Temari. She did several backflips, evading the shadow. Just when she thought that she was caught, the shadow halted. It struggled to move forward, but it couldn't. Temari lapt back and drew a line in the earth with her fan.

"So, the lazy guy can control shadows," Kiele mused aloud.

"I missed that one. I was zoned out."

"I see," Temari concluded.

"Shadow Imitation... I've figured out it's nature."

The dust cleard to reveal Shikamaru, his hands in the signs of the rat. Temari grinned, pleased with her newfound wisdom.

"Well well, it looks as if there's a limit to how much you can stretch, shrink, and transform your shadow. No matter how much you transform or stretch your shadow, you can only stretch it as much as its surface area."

She paused to let it rub it.

"Isn't that right?"

"Correct," Shikamaru admitted with a grin.

He closed his eyes and made a bowl shape with his hands. Kiele's head perked up.

"There's a hand sign that I've never seen before," She muttered.

He stayed like that, and nothing happened. He opened his eyes, then placed his hands on his knees.

"It looks like you're a bit more motivated to fight now," Temari taunted.

She unfolded her fan once again and waved it. Shikamaru ran behind a tree and unsheathed a kunai knife.

"There's no use in hiding!" Temari called through the wind.

Shikamaru hid anyways, and he took off the jacket over his fishnet.

"Quit running!" Temari demanded.

"Come out already!"

She flung her fan around again, and was answered by a kunai. She jumped out of the way, and raised her fan to block another kunai. Turning around, she noticed Shikamaru's shadow coming towards her. She smirked. To her shock, the shadow extended past the line that she had made earlier. Her jaw dropped, and she lept backwards. Again, the shadow faultered in front of her.

"Good insight," Temari commented.

"You waited for the sun to set, ultimately increasing the wall's shadow line to increase your shadow's surface area. When the sun sets, shadows grow. Correct?"

Temari stared down at the struggling shadow in front of her intently. She was obviously calculating her situation in her mind. Kiele looked up and around, bored. An object bobbed in the sky, and it took a moment for her to realize what it was. She pointed it out to Kankurou, who looked up in awe.

"Temari!" He bellowed.

"Above you!"

Temari's gaze shot upwards, and she stared, trying to figure out what it was. It cast a shadow inbetween Temari and Shikamaru's shadow, extending Shikamaru's shadow.

Tmeair realized this just in time and jumped backwards. It chased after her as the shadow of Shikamaru's jacket, until it fell to the ground, unable to float any longer. Slowly, the shadow retreated. Temari spread her fan out behind her, smiling. She thrust her fan into the earth in front of her, hiding behind it. She formed several hand signs, then she froze in mid-sign. Kiele gasped.

"She's done for..." She murmured sadly.

"She's been caught in her enemy's technique. It's over."

"But, how did that happen?" Kankurou demanded.

Kiele pointed the the hole left by her fight with Naruto.

"When I used my Suna Futoiude... that Shikamaru kid's sharp. He doesn't seem to miss a thing. He kept planning ahead, until he eventually caught Temari."

"I'll show you what's behind you," Shikamaru explained to the shocked Temari, turning his head.

Temari was forced to follow suit, then she saw the hole left by Kiele's sand attacks. Emerging from it, was Shikamaru's shadow. She stared at the hole disbelievingly. She was forced to turn back around, and Shikamaru walked forward. Being caught in his shadow bind, Temari was also forced to approach him. Soon, the two combatants were a mere foot from each other, when Shikamaru continued to shock and surprise Kiele. He raised his hand, causing Temari to do the same. Temari cringed and closed her eyes tightly, as if awaiting the finishing blow. Shikamaru opened his eyes.

"I lose. I give up."

Kiele gawked.

"What did you say!" Temari demanded, her eyes shooting open.

"I used up too much chakra, trying to catch you in shadow bind so many times. I can only hold you for an additional ten seconds. I've thought of about 200 possible moves... but time's up."

He threw up his hands carelessly, and Temari was released from shadow bind.

"It's too troublesome to do anymore. One match is good enough for me."

Temari stood there, shocked.

"Winner, Temari," Genma announced.

Kiele hung her head over the railing in relief.

"She sure got a lucky break. She would be finished if he had more chakra."

To her suprise, Naruto lunged from the second level. He pointed angrily at Shikamaru, who was stretching and exersizing.

"You idiot!" Naruto accused.

"Shut up, you super idiot," Shikamaru shot back.

"Why did you give up?" Naruto demanded.

"That's a matter of the past now. It's all good now," He replied calmly.

Kiele laughed mentally and would have found it entertaining to stand there and listen to the immaturity of the boys' arguing, but Gaara fidgeted beside her. She froze.

**(His blood lust is building. He knows that his fight is next, and he wants to fight, possibly kill Uchiha Sasuke.)**

_"That is only if, Takai, he hasn't already done so."_

"Hey... Kiele..." Kankurou's voice interrupted her conversation with her inner demon.

Kiele's gaze turned to Kankurou.

"Yeah?"

Kankurou smiled bitterly.

"You may not even have to watch Gaara's fight. I know how his violent ways of killing..."

He glanced over at Gaara uneasily.

"...Disturb you. But if this Sasuke doesn't show, Gaara's automatically declared the winner- "

"It doesn't matter if he show or not," Kiele sighed.

Kankurou looked at her, confused.

"I remember now... I have work to do, during the last fight of the Third Exam," She explained.

Kankurou blinked. He was lost.

"Kazekage's orders. He told me to do so before I left Sunagakure."

Kankurou nodded in understanding.

"Then, you had better get going."

Kiele bid him farwell, then waved to Temari. She gave a curt wave to Gaara, which shocked even herself for doing so, then vanished in a wisp of sand.

**The invasion was about to commence, and she was the pawn ordered to make the first move.**

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They tied thier hair back into a casual bun, just so it wouldn't interfere. Then, the ninja draped a black cloak about thier frame, finishing it off with a Konohagakure ANBU mask to conceal thier true identity. The fight between Gaara and Sasuke had been going on for some time now, and now it was time for _her_ to make her move. Leaping from the top of the Hokage's biuling, she sped towards the Chuunin Exam arena. Slinking up behind a man in the back row watching the fight, she gingerly rested her hand on his shoulder. She brought up the bird, removing her hand from his shoulder. His vision becam blurred as he continued to watch the match, and he sway uneasily, until his head lolled to the side, unconsious. She smiled to herself, pleased with her handywork. Rapidly, she made a series of hand signs, and everyone in the stadium began to slip into darkness. She noticed a silver haired Konohagakure jounin stand up and glare around. Kakashi.

_"Shoot!"_ She shouted mentally, afraid of being caught.

_"I haven't finished Kazekage-sama's orders yet... I can't yet be caught and caged!"_

She lept back into the darkness, then looked over and saw Naruto. He laid motionless on the concrete beside of Shikamaru. In a moment's pity, she slinked up to the two boys, undetected. She propped thier backs up against the wall and placed thier hands on thier laps to give them a more peaceful look.

"Hey!" A voice called out.

The masked girl froze.

"What are you doing? The Hokage is in danger!"

She stood up and jumped down in front of the two jounin. Kakashi, and Guy. She brought her hands up in the sign of the ram, and four sand ninja jumped down to back her up, two on either side of her.

"I didn't expect the enemy to be disguised as an ANBU member," Guy groaned.

"Is he the one who used that illusionary technique?"

The girl laughed mentally.

_"He..."_

She didn't answer.

"Yes," Kakashi mused aloud.

"There's no doubt about it."

What seemed as if out of nowhere, another "ANBU" member jumped down beside of the disguised female ANBU.

"I'm here to relieve you of your position," He whispered quietly to her.

"You have more pressing matters to attend to... don't you?"

She nodded, then silently bid the two Konoha Jounin farwell before jumping off to finish her bussiness. She found the sand siblings, then landed on one knees beside of Gaara.

"The mission has commenced. This fight's over, Gaara, now let's go," She reminded him.

"K-Kiele?" Kankurou asked, astonished.

From behind the mask, the girl smiled. She reached up and removed the mask, revealing ivory bangs that glowed red in the sunlight and sad emerald orbs.

"None other than."

"So, dad asked you to dress up as an ANBU member and terrorize Konoha civilians?" He chuckled, plucking the maske from her hands, examining it.

"Pretty much," Kiele answered.

She glanced over at Gaara, clutching his head. She stood to her feet and stood inbetween Sasuke and Gaara.

"Get out of my way!" He demanded, shoving Kiele to the side.

Kiele felt a fire burn inside her. But the feeling passed when Gaara clutched his head and fell to his knees.

"Gaara!" Kiele shouted, dropping down beside him.

"What's the matter?"

"What wrong with him?" Kankurou inquired, turning to Gaara.

Baki landed down in front of the sand shinobi. He watched with Kankurou and Temari as Kiele examined Gaara's wound without touching him. He wasn't in the best mood right now, was her guess.

"His wound is more serious than what you must've thought," She observed.

"And he's used up most of his chakra."

"Then, he can't use "it"?" Kankurou asked hesitantly.

Kiele scowled at the tone he used when describing Shukaku. If anyone had refered to Takai as an "it", she probably would have bit the moron.

"No, he can't use it now."

"Fool," Baki hissed.

"That's what you get for trying to transform into its complete form before Kiele gave the signal."

"What should we do now?" Kankurou asked, turning to Baki.

"You want us to do this without Gaara!"

"I'll help you," Kiele volunteered.

"No!" Baki snapped.

Kiele glared up at the jounin.

"You still have your orders from the Kazekage to fulfill, Kiele! Have you forgotten so soon?"

Kiele wrinkled her nose in disgust. Her next words shocked the sand siblings and thier sensei.

"Yondaime Kazekage... can do it his own damn self. Or get another lackey. I'm done playing the part of the pawn. I'm doing this _my_ way now, how _I_ feel this should be done. And I feel that I should help the sand siblings."

Temari gave her a sympathetic look, but she shook it off.

"Don't lecture me," Kiele ordered.

"I'll take the punishment head on when we get back to Suna. But I will do as I feel for now."

Baki nodded, then turned back to Gaara.

"Still, Gaara is the Sand's trump card. We must have Gaara fight no matter what. The four of you get away from here for now, and treat Gaara's wounds. Once his chakra recovers, we will resume the mission."

"I understand," Kankurou responded loyally.

He bent down and drapped Gaara's arm on his shoulders, then supported Gaara's spine with his hand.

"What about you, sensei?" Temari inquired.

"I will stop these guys," Baki replied, turning his back to his students.

"Go!"

Without further hesitation, the four jumped off to carry out thier mission. Well, the sand sibling's mission, Kiele just lending a hand and ignoring her own duties.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kid's persistant, I'll grant him that," Kiele hissed in dismay.

"Kankurou, Temari, we're going to pick up our pace. We've got three extra guests now."

"Right!" The two called in unison.

Kiele sped up, thr trees becoming slightly more blurred as she bounded from tree to tree, taking the lead. She glanced back at Gaara. Kankurou noticed the worry in her gaze. He smiled, trying to reassure her.

"Gaara's not going anywhere right now. And I won't drop him, I promise."

_"That's not what worries me..."_

**(What frightens you is the appearance of Shukaku, isn't it?)**

_"It's a shame... just when I was beginning to appriciate your absence."_

**(Hn. I was never gone, just holding my tounge. To tell the truth, I was shocked that you badmouthed the Kazekage like you did. Shocked... but pleased. You're finally beginning to realize that you belong to no one.)**

Kiele said nothing. She halted on a branch, stopping the others as well. Temari, understanding, pressed her ear to the branch.

"How do things look, Temari?" Kankurou asked.

"He's close," Temari replied.

"He'll be here soon."

"Damn it!" Kankurou swore.

"What should we do then?"

"Just leave it to me," She replied.

She brought a string to her mouth and pulled back slightly on it. Kiele grinned.

"I knew you were smart."

From a distance, explosions could be heard as Sasuke triggered them.

"I finally caught up to you," An annoyed voice resounded.

The three consious ninja turned to see Sasuke standing there on a tree branch beside of them.

"This is it for you all."

"You're not going anywhere, now."

He grinned with the sense of success, and balanced a kunai on his index finger. Kiele roller her eyes and crossed her arms.

"You're not impressing anyone, Uchiha Sasuke."

She turned to Temari and Kankurou.

"Take Gaara and run. I'll hold him off."

"No, Kiele! You go with Kankurou, and I'll fend off Uchiha!" Temari insisted, lunging from the branch.

She threw a few kunai at Sasuke's head, but he dodged them by simply tilted his head to the side.

"Let me deal with him."

"But, Temari... You can't handle him alone!" Kankurou called.

"Don't worry about it!" Temari argued.

"This is an important mission for the Sand Country. Prioritize Gaara's condition. Besides, this guy is my type. So, Kankurou and Kiele... just go!"

Kiele noded hisitantly, then offered to relieve Kankurou's burden.

"Let me take him for a while."

"Alright," Kankurou willingly agreed, shifting his wieght to relieve himself.

Kiele drapped Gaara's arm about her shoulders, then wrapped her arm around his waist. Then the three bounded off and left Temari to her fight. However, Sasuke angrily persued the sand ninja, but it was what Temari had expected. She jumped in front of him, blocking his view from the others. After traveling for a while, Kiele found the silence bothersome.

"Temari had better come back in one piece," Kiele murmured.

It seemed that she had spoken too soon.

"Someone's coming," Kankurou stated bluntly.

"Has he really dispatched of Temari so quickly!" Kiele asked in awe.

A wave of shuriken cut throught the air, landing in front of Kankurou.

"Apparently so," He droaned.

Sasuke landed in a croutching position on the branch before the sand ninja. He stood up, breathing heavily, but smirking all the less. Kiele cringed.

_"This is one cocky, persistant fool... that I'd gladly let you take out, Takai."_

Takai inwardly laughed.

**(Beautiful.)**

"Don't run," Sasuke taunted.

"Bring it on," Kankurou replied menacingly.

"I'll fight you this time."

"Wait!" A femine voice called.

Temari dropped down beside of Kiele.

"What? Temari? I thought he beat you, but, you were okay?" Kankurou asked.

Kiele smiled bitterly.

"Temari won't be taken down so easily. Not even by an Uchiha. And to think that you didn't know this by now, you suprise me, Kankurou-niisan."

Kankurou was shocked by her way of addressing him. She hadn't called him niisan since... well, since Gaara and her were both happy, both friends.

"But... I couldn't even stop him at all," Temari murmured, silently cursing her weakness.

"No, it was enough time for Gaara to recover," Kiele piped up, guesturing to the boy she had in her grasp.

"In the same, it caused Uchiha to use up some of his chakra on you, Temari."

She gingerly set Gaara down on the branch, then jumped ahead. She unsheathed the fan Naruto had given her.

"Temari, Kankurou, take Gaara and leave."

"No," Kankurou argued, jumping up beside her.

"You stay with Gaara. I know how much you want to help him, and now's your chance to stay by his side. Protect him, and I'll fight Uchiha."

He slammed Karasu onto the branch, and Kiele jumped back. She gathered Gaara like before, then glanced at Temari. The only thing holding her back from leaving was her concern for her brother.

"Temari, Kiele, go! What are you waiting for?" Kankurou demanded.

Temari finally nodded, and lept off with Kiele. Not even five minutes after they had left Kankurou and Sasuke, they sensed a new presence, and the Uchiha on thier trail again.

"Damn! We just can't shake the Uchiha!" Kiele swore angrily.

Gaara stirred as Kiele bounced from tree to tree. He slowly opened his black rimmed eyes, then glared over to see the person holding him.

"Put me down, Kiele."

"Can you move again?" She asked quietly, stopping on the branch she stood on.

Temari joined her, kneeling beside of the demon girl. Kiele removed Gaara's arm from her shoulder, and rested him on the branch to recooperate. He growled and clutched his head.

"Gaara, you're... " Kiele's voice trailed off as her eyes found the wound on Gaara's shoulder. It was bleeding through the strap of his gourd.

Kiele pulled out medicine from the sash across her chest.

"Kiele, don't touch me," Gaar hissed dangerously.

"Temari, Kiele... get away from me."

Kiele opened her mouth to protest, when Gara stumbled to his feet and pushed Temari from the branch. He then rounded on Kiele and struck her in the throat. She flew back in the way of a ragdoll, and groaned as her back slammed into the tree trunk. She slid down the trunk and into its thick leaven branches.

"Just go over there. You're in the way," Gaara spat.

He began to breathe heavily, and closed his eyes. When he reopened them, Sasuke stood in his sight.

"I don't know what you sand guys are planning, but I'll stop you!" Sasuke declared.

"And... I'll find out what you really are!"

Gaara glared up at Sasuke, his face beginning to peel. He clutched at his head, and his arms, hands, and more of his face began to flake off as well.

"Stop, Gaara! Did you forget the plan?" Temari called.

Gaara ignored her.

"You are strong," Gaara commented, refering to Sasuke.

"You are called Uchiha. You have friends. You have goals. You are similar to me."

An insane smile crossed his face, and veins grew in Gaara's eyes.

"...And by killing you, I can be known as the one who erased your existance! I will be able to feel that I am alive!"

Gaara fell to his knees, screaming in agony.

_"He's going to do it... He's going to release Shukaku right here and now!" _Kiele throught in terror.

Her eyes widened, and she looked away from Gaara, holding her own head.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_**Kiele couldn't hold it in herself anymore.**_

_**"Because... Yashamaru tried to kill me! He tried to kill me!"**_

_**She curled back into a ball and wept.**_

_**Gaara stared, awestruck.**_

_**"Yashamaru... tried to kill you? But, why?"**_

_**" 'Cause I have Takai! Mom and dad hated me for the same reason! Yashamaru and Kazekage-sama are no different!"**_

_**Kiele wiped her eyes, ashamed, then looked up at Gaara.**_

_**"Y-you hate me too, don't you? Will you turn on me, and try to kill me?"**_

_**"No!" Gaara bellowed.**_

_**"We're friends! I'll never hurt you! I promise!"**_

_**----------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"You abandoned me." **_

_**"I want to make sure we're still friends."**_

_**"I hate everyone. I will prove my exitence by killing everyone else but me. We're not friends, rest assured of that."**_

_**"I love only myself. We're no longer friends. Now leave."**_

_**"I won't leave."**_

_**"Go, now!"**_

_**"No. I'm going nowhere, Gaara."**_

_**Gaara glared at her again.**_

_**"Leave, or I'll force you to go!"**_

_**"You would be as horrid as to break your word. You promised me six years ago that you would never hurt me," Kiele shot slyly.**_

**_"I _**am **_horrid, baka! I am Shukaku! What I said six years ago means nothing to me!"_**

_**"Then kill me now."**_

_**"Fine!" Gaara snarled. **_

_**His sand wrapped around Kiele's right arm, and her eyes widened.**_

_**"Subaku Soso!"**_

_**----------------------------------------------------------------**_

**_"I _**am **_horrid, baka! I am Shukaku! What I said six years ago means nothing to me!"_**

_**"We're friends! I'll never hurt you! I promise!"**_

_**"I hate everyone. I will prove my exitence by killing everyone else but me. We're not friends, rest assured of that."**_

_**----------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**"Yo-you were listening earlier, when I was talking to Kankurou?"**_

_**Gaara didn't respond, but his eyes were answer enough for her. Kiele swallowed. Gaara's hands grasped his arms tightly.**_

_**"Everything you said... your apologizes, your worried expression when I left on a mission... it wasn't a lie."**_

_**Gaara seemed to have a hard time taking in the fact that there was someone alive that genuinely cared for him. Kiele saw this, and didn't push the matter any further.**_

_**"Tell me. If the Kazekage had never told you to keep away from me, would you have stayed with me?"**_

_**Kiele felt her face begin to burn from being put on the spot. One false answer, and he'd kill her instantly without a second thought.**_

_**"Y-yes... I would have..."**_

_**Everything was quiet for a long while, until Gaara pressured the subject again.**_

_**"And if the Kazekage were gone, would you count his order as void, and come back to me?"**_

_**Kiele felt her heart rise into her throat.**_

_**"W-well... t-that all depends..."**_

_**"Depends on what?" Gaara demanded.**_

_**"I-it depends... on whether or not, you'd be willing to forgive me, and take me back. I can't return to you as your friend if you don't accept me and my unworthy apology."**_

_**----------------------------------------------------------------**_

Kiele didn't know what to think anymore. One moment, she felt that Gaara was the only person other than her in the world that mattered, and at other times, she felt the hate anger exerting from his body, and sometimes she felt nothing but pure hatred towards him. Sand poured from Gaara's gourd, and from it was born the claw of the Shukaku. Kiele remained oblivios to his transistions, as her mind was still pondering the past, trying to find the meaning of existance.

_"Is everything I thought I knew... the times that I felt happy, loved... were they just a mere illusion?"_

She grasped at her hair tighter.

_"I don't feel that I understand anymore, or that I ever truely did... Takai, please, tell me... Tell me what is real!"_

The demon remained silent. Nothing it could say would comfort the miserable girl.

"You're...you're my... PREY!"

Gaara's blood-lustful voice snapped Kiele back into reality. The fight between him and Sasuke had already begun. Kiele quickly gazed around, and saw that Temari was nowhere to be found.

_"Did she... leave me behind?"_

Kiele clutched at her heart.

_"Temari... she betrayed me... she left me to die at the hands of Shukaku..."_

Kiele remembered the pain she felt when she realized that Yashamaru hated her. The pain she felt when she realized all of Suna, even her idol the Fourth Kazekage, hated her. Also, she felt the pain when she found that even Gaara hated her. It was the same pain that she felt know. She had felt that at least Temari and Kankurou were there for her, but here Temari had deserted her to escape and save her own skin. Kiele pulled a kunai from her holister and slowly stood to her feet. Just as Gaara did, if she could not find her existence in another, she would find it herself. But she didn't quite understand yet... Why did she exist and live? She figured that Gaara had asked himself that same question many times before. She had lived a life of hate, betrayal, and rejection, just as Gaara had. They were so similar... yet so different. Gaara had turned out to be a murderer and a replica of the monster inside him. She, she didn't know what she was yet. Not a killer... but she was no saint, either. Kiele grimaced as she placed the blade of her kunai to herindex finger. Lightly running the blade across, she assured one thing as the warm red liquid ran down her hand. This was reality. And this reality she was in, was exactly what the name implied: Real. Then it dawned on her. Her reason that she was alive.

_"I guess... it's now or never, ne, Takai... I'm sorry, but I... I don't want to live with anymore regrets."_

Her inner demon remained silent, yet again. She couldn't say anything, not when the girl was finally realizing what she wanted in life... and uncovered who her precious person was all along. But when Kiele looked up, she was shocked at the scene before her.

"N- N- Nar... Naruto?" Kiele choked out.

Sasuke was down, and now the midway transformed Gaara and Naruto were facing off. Naruto looked over, and glared daggers when he looked at Kiele. He pointed at her angrily.

"I called you my friend!" He spat hotly.

"Apparently, you don't know the meaning of that word! You knew all along about this attack on Konoha, but you still decieved me! I bragged to Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei about you, and what a great person you were... But I was wrong! You... you're sad! I gave you that fan as a sign of friendship, and you made me promise you not to hold back in our fight! But you broke your own word and gave up! I don't get it... But I don't care anymore! Both you and Gaara... Both of you creeps are going down!"

Kiele felt his words sink in. She thought that he had a way with words, and a great influence with them.

_"On someone without a monster's heart,"_ Kiele thought.

But know that she'd made up her mind, Naruto couldn't stop her. His words rested upon deaf ears when he tried to speak to her. She would be honest to the Kyuubi boy now. No more lies. Not now. She jumped up inbetween Gaara and Naruto.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I really am, believe me... but in order to keep a promise I made to someone else, I couldn't go all out against you. And as for friendship... it just isn't possible. It never was, from the beginning. Perhaps, if we had met under other circumstances... we could've been friends. But right now, I'm going to mend your soul."

Kiele saw Gaara fatigued from the fight between Sasuke, and from Shukaku. She guestured with her kunai for Naruto to come closer.

"You're right- I did hold back. But now, I'm going to mend that broken promise. Fight me, Naruto... in a rematch to the death."

Naruto froze. He hadn't been expecting that one. Kiele blinked. All emotion had been void from her eyes and expression when she realized that Temari was gone.

"When you threaten Gaara's existence... not only do you threaten my reason for my existance, but you threaten... my precious person."

Gaara fell to his knees behind her, clutching his head. He didn't understand. Neither did Naruto, because he immeadiately got angered.

"What!" He exclaimed, pointing to Gaara.

"Him! He's your precious person? Why? What's he to you that you protect him? He's... he's so..."

"Alone," Kiele finshed for him.

"He's alone. Just like you were. And like I am. But let's just get to the point... you want to defeat Gaara. And I'll let you... that is, if you can get past me first."

She threw the kunai at Naruto, who dodged with ease. He stared up at Kiele. He didn't understand why she was acting like she was.

"I won't hold back Naruto. I can't this time, under any cicumstance, so don't expect ant mercy. This time it's for real. If you're not on you're guard... I'll kill you without any regrets or second thoughts."

Naruto nodded solemnly, understanding. Gaara growled from behind her, in pain. He still clutched at his head, recalling the past in flashbacks.

"Kiele..." He groaned from behind her.

Kiele turned to see Gaara, nearing his perfected form of Shukaku. His entire body resembled the beast.

"Don't... I don't need you to fight my battles for me, and protect me like some weakling! I don't need you at all!"

He raised his monsterous hand, and struck Kiele yet again. She made no move to block his attack, as she was thrown back violently into Naruto. Both fell from the branch and landed on thier backs on the ground.

"Sand Shuriken!"

Naruto clutched Gamabuntaa his his arms, as well as Kiele. He jumped up, back was hit by the sand. Kiele groaned in pain, then tore away from Naruto as she fell to the earth again. Naruto was tossed onto a branch nearby Sasuke. Kiele sat up, holding her side. It was bleeding profusely from Gaara's sand shuriken assult.

"What's wrong? Are you afraid of me?" Gaara asked Naruto.

"Are you going to fight only for yourself, or fight for another? Just love yourself, and fight. Fight only for yourself! That is what makes a person strong! Show me your power, and I will crush it!"

Gaara's sand tightened on Sakura, and Naruto swore loudly.

"Kage Bushin!"

Kiele lunged up inbetween the two, shuriken in hand.

"You won't touch him, Naruto!"

Gaara inhaled from behind her.

"Fuuton: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa!"

Kiele cringed in pain as the attack hit her critically from behind. She was tossed into the trunk of a tree, crashing into it and sliding down weakly onto the branch. Gaara summoned more sand shuriken, and both Naruto and Kiele were struck, throwing them into the same tree.

"And... and you fight for **this** guy?" Naruto asked incredulously.

Kiele had no time to answer, as even more sand shuriken blasted them.

"He hits you, just to get to me! And still... you defend him?"

"Hai... I defend him," Kiele replied.

Naruto growled and stood up, making a cross sign with his hands.

"I don't understand you at all anymore! You're complicated! I don't know how far I can get with this guy... but I have to save Sakura and Sasuke! Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"G- Gaara! Naruto, don't you even...!"

Kiele coughed up vigerously into her hand. Looking into it, she saw the red liquid seeping from between her fingers. She cringed, gritting her teeth.

_"That last blow to my spine really did some damage... I can't go on like this..."_

"I'll show you a secret combat move... Uzumaki Naruto Tackle!" Naruto called.

Gaara grinned, showing off his carnivorous teeth. He thrust out his monsterous hand, catching three Narutos inbetween his fingers. However, a Naruto from above jumped with another Naruto in his fist, landing on Gaara's hand. He threw the Naruto in his hands at Shukaku's head.

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"

Gaara punched the Naruto, only to have him make another clone and flip behind Gaara.

"Again!" He cried.

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"

Another Naruto was formed, and he jumped off of its back. He unsheathed a kunai knife. Kiele gasped, then stumbled to her feet, jumping to Gaara's aid.

"Eat this! The move Kakashi-sensei taught me... Konohagakure's secret master combat move..."

He meant to plunge the kunai into Shukaku's ass, but he found it going through Kiele's hand. She breathed heavily, and felt her vision cut out momentarily as Gaara swung the hand of the Shukaku, knocking her and Naruto backwards, but not before Naruto jerked the kunai from Kiele's hand and implanted it into Shukaku's back.

"Boom," He murmured, falling into Sasuke, who had thrown himself to block Naruto's impact.

The kunai exploded, and Kiele felt like smacking Naruto.

"A... a paper bomb!"

She stared in horror, then saw that the tree, as well as the Shukaku, were blown in half.

"Naruto..." Sasuke muttered.

"You have to rescue Sakura no matter what. Rescue her, then run. You can do it... I'll buy you some time... It won't end for me, not here. I don't want to see an important friend die in front of me again."

Kiele cringed, spitting blood onto the bark. She suddenly felt jealousy run through her very being.

"You're not buying anyone time, not this time around, Uchiha." She hissed.

"Shut up," Sasuke spat, shoving her to the branch.

"It must be nice... to think you can save everyone in a night's work," She retorted hotly.

"It isn't possible. You have people that care for you, people you care for... many people. And I only have one I care for. I won't let his existince disappear!"

She stood up abruptly, pushing Sasuke down, then jumping over beside the Shukaku.

"You're... you're stupid!" Naruto called.

"If you fight that that guy... You have to have someone better to fight for!"

Kiele shook her head, her ebony bangs stained with her blood. Her eyes showed no emotion. This was how a true ninja should be, she finally realized. Naruto smiled, to her suprise.

"That's why you're strong," He whispered.

"You fight for Gaara... but he fights for himself. You are fighting a lost cause. He hates you, and he strikes you down without a second thought. So why do you fight for him? You're a complicated person."

He formed his hands in the sign of the snake. Suddenly, he was surrounded by a powerful blue chakra aura. He used Kage Bushin again, but this time, there were more than just six or seven. There was an entire army of them. Kiele stared, shock written on her face. They all jumped into the air throwing shuriken, and called out,

"The No-escape Shuriken Chapter!"

Kiele backed up until she backed into Gaara. She could feel pain rush through her body.

_"He's still not reasy for an attack like this after that bomb... I'll have to protect him with the sand..."_

Kiele quickly formed a series of hand seals.

"Suna Futoiude."

A hand emerged from the earth, made of sand. The hand swept around, collecting the shuriken in the sand.

"You can have them back, Naruto... ten fold!"

She made a triangle, then trust her palms outward. The fist sent the shuriken back at Naruto, covered in sand. Kiele fell to her knees, having used too much chakra at once in her injured state. She turned to see Naruto kick Shukaku's jaw upwards. She cursed her weakness in her mind. The clones then kicked his back upwards.

"U... zu... ma... ki... Naruto Two Thousand Combo..."

They punched Shukaku until its sandy form was disshivelled to the point in which it was nearly unnoticable. Kiele growled, then used the fist to catch Gaara right before he hit the ground. She jumped down beside him, and he stood to his feet.

"I won't lose to this guy!" He declared.

His sand struck Kiele's already open wounds, and thrust her skywards, along with the Naruto clones. She whimpered as the sand burrowed into her open wounds. The clones burst, and Naruto was thrust against the trunk of a tree. Kiele, however, wasn't so lucky, as she landed back down beside the Shukaku, skidding on her arm to his feet. But, it wasn't Gaara at all anymore. It was the full form of Shukaku, and it was the size of a towering mountain. Kiele gasped, then began to scramble away from the creature. She'd never seen the Shukaku so huge before. Shukaku glared down at her, then stepped completely over her. When he did that, her heart skipped a beat. She thought that he was going to step on her. Sand swirled and compacted around Naruto, but he didn't seem scared. He looked determined to save his friends as he wiped the blood from the side of his mouth. Kiele stood up, then fell back down as she felt light-headed. She'd used too much chakra too quickly in her weakened state. Shukaku clasped its fist together, but instead of caving _inward_, the sand exploded _outwards_. Where Naruto stood, a giant frog was positioned, Gamabunta. Naruto was perched on its head. Shukaku swished its tail, batting Kiele into the trunk of the tree. Her head slammed violently against the trunk, and she was out cold as soon as the pain touched her forehead.

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"G-Gaa..ra..." Kiele whispered hoarsely.

She sat up slowly, clutching her head. Gazing around, she realized where she was. Atop of a large tree, Kiele saw the frog turn into a giant red fox.

"The Kyuubi..." She mused aloud.

She looked back and forth between the Shukaku and the Kyuubi, then gingerly touched her bleeding forehead. It was still wet, but nearly dry, meaning that she'd been out nearly two hours. As she watched the battle progress, she realized that in order to save her precious person, she'd have to fight against him, and wake Gaara up, who was perched atop the Shukaku. She'd been told that striking him would stop the compressed air blasts coming at Naruto, and ultimately, defeat Shukaku. If she could help Naruto defeat the Shukaku, then maybe...

She struggled to her feet, with support from the branches, then jumped onto the Kyuubi as it ran past, nearly falling off.

"Naruto I'll... I'll help!"

"Why should I trust you?" Naruto sneered from inside the fox demon.

"You already betrayed me once- "

"And I'm sorry! I had no choice!" Kiele cried.

Naruto seemed to think about it, until the Kyuubi spoke to her.

"If you have a plan, we'll listen."

Kiele nodded.

"Just get close enough for me to jump onto the Shukaku... and I've got it from there."

The Kyuubi nodded, then lunged and weaved its way to the demon. The Kyuubi bit and dug its claws into the Shukaku.

"Go now!" It exclaimed, transforming back into the frog.

Naruto jumped onto the Shukaku, telling Kiele to saty back, then punched Gaara across the face.

"Wake up, Bastard!"

Gaara awoke, and Naruto slid down the front of Shukaku. Gaara tried to used desert coffin, but the frog's tounge protected him. However, the sand seeped its way throught, and worked its way up. It coiled around Kiele as well.

"I will kill you both," He hissed.

"My existance will not disappear!"

Kiele let her breathe out, sand coiling around her waist.

_"Takai... if even just a little... you have to... you have to help me! Please!"_

There was no answer from the bird. However, the sudden burst of stamina and chakra throughout her body, and the glowing gold chakra around her was enough of an answer. Her sash was torn, and her hair and clothes flew up, defying the laws of gravity. Her eyes became more distict and narrow, like those of a bird's.

"Gaara... please... you have to wake up!"

"Die!" He hissed.

Kiele lunged at Gaara, only to be caught by his sand. She struggled to move her fist forwards, but she could budge. Behind her, she felt Naruto's Kyuubi chakra build. He charged at Gaara past Kiele, and saw also caught by the sand. He thrust his head foreward, and it collided with Gaara's. Blood ran down both combatant's foreheads, and the Shukaku crumbled. Kiele felt too weak to even move, even with Takai's power through her. She knew that she hadn't reached her limit to her and Kiele's powers, but she had reached her limit to her life. She couldn't live her life trying to protect someone that wanted her dead. So, if dead was how she best served him, then...

So be it.

Kiele made no noise as she skimmed past the trees where Naruto and Gaara had landed, and she was silent when she collided with the cold, hard ground. She began to lose consiousness, until Gaara and Naruto collided with the ground as well, Naruto on her right and Gaara on her left. Kiele noticed the sand dissipated and eventually disappear completely and the Sakura girl fell. She was caught by Sasuke. Naruto crawled nearer to Gaara, until he was trying to clamber over Kiele.

"Don't get near me!" Gaara threatened.

"The pain of being alone... is completely out of this world, isn't it?" Naruto asked quite randomly.

Gaara eyes widened, then his teal orbs rested on Kiele's motionless form. As Naruto moved over her, she grasped his jacket, looking straight back into Gaara's eyes, for the first time in a long time.

"If he wishes for you to stay away from him... then aknowledge that, Naruto..."

"I won't allow you... to hurt my important person."

Gaara stared, in shock or suprise, she didn't know.

"And I won't allow him to hurt mine!" Naruto yelled angrily.

"If he does... then I'll stop him, even if I have to kill him!"

"And I will kill you, Naruto, with my last breath, if this is want you're trying to say."

Sasuke jumped down, and informed Naruto that Sakura was safe. Naruto relaxed, and gave in to sleep. Temari and Kankurou jumped down beside Gaara, and Kiele smiled. Her first genuine smile in seven years. The sand siblings stared at her, shocked. Then they became aware of the pain she was in as she groaned, then clutched her head.

"Don't fight them," Gaara ordered, staring skyward.

"Let's stop."

The two elder siblings turned to Gaara and stared in awe, shocked that Gaara was in such a weakened state. Kankurou picked up his little brother, then Kiele coughed up more of the metalic substance. She was slowly drowning in her own blood. Temari hurried over to her, only to be swatted away by Kiele's hand.

"Naruto... I'm sorry, I truely am... and, to you too, Uchiha Sasuke... Temari, Kankurou... please tell, Kazekage-sama... that I'm sorry I served my purpose so quickly, and faded away so soon..."

"Don't talk like you're going to...!" Temari paused before the last word, examining Kiele's wounds.

She then noticed how bad they were. Her gaze became soft.

"Kankurou... She... she's..."

"Is she going to...?" Kankurou began, standing up with Gaara.

Gaara's eyes widened, then he tried to walk over to her, but Kankurou held fast, telling him not to strain himself.

"Get her Temari, and let's go- "

"Kankurou! She drowning in her own blood!" Temari shouted at her brother's ignorance.

Kankurou's expression hardened.

"At this rate, there's no way she'll make back to Sunagakure... not alive, anyways... She'll die before we're even halfway there..."

"Can't you postpone it?" Gaara questioned timidly.

Kiele felt relieved. Her precious person care for her at the last moments of her life. She smiled again.

"Good-bye, Kankurou-nii-san.. Temari-oneesan... Gaara-tomodachi..."

"Friend..." Gaara uttered. (**A/N**: tomodachi means "friend".)

She smiled at Gaara's shocked expression as she slipped into the darkness...

Where she would stay.

Where she would at last...

Find peace, knowing Gaara had, subconsiously, care for her.

With this reassurance, she let go of the real world, and fell at last, and into the darkness.

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sniffles And there you go. Wasn't the end so sad? This is the end of this, "trilogy", but there will be more of "A Demon Called Death". Till then! Ciao.


	9. NOTICE!

**!Notice!**

Kankurou and Temari are guilt ridden for not being there for thier comerade when she needed them.

Naruto is shocked of what to think. Does he respect Kiele for her sacrifice, or does he take her as a fool?

The Wind Country's Kazekage was killed by Orochimaru of the Sound. Sand was ultimately betrayed.

The Wind Country is without a Kazekage now. Not good.

Gaara is now confused as to why Kiele gave her life for him, and why she continued to protect him even when she was an inch within her death.

A Demon Called Death is over. Finished. Fine'.

However, I have just posted the sequel, called "Prisoner of the Heart"._Remember_- **I don't like sad endings.** You remember that, and read on!


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